


Law 300

by redsliver



Series: The Spectacular Spider-man Seasons 3, 4 and 5 [3]
Category: The Spectacular Spider-Man (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-29
Updated: 2014-12-01
Packaged: 2018-01-02 23:33:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 43,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1062993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redsliver/pseuds/redsliver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter Parker has been shoehorned back into a relationship with Liz Allan. With MJ and Gwen watching him like a hawk Peter is feeling the need to escape into Spider-man. But no one's even letting him do that at the moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 308 Appeal

Law 308 - Appeal

"Desiree, this is unacceptable," Roderick Kingsley sat down across the boardroom table from his current antagonist. This was all a tactic, a see-through mockery of camaraderie. Kingsley was dressed superbly wearing a dark purple suit and red shirt. The flower in his lapel and the fragrance on his person were a slap in Desiree's face. "We're experiencing needless losses and delays. When it was agreed to put sales into your hands there was an agreement for your best. I'm starting to see why Revanna struggled." 

The “we” cut the deepest. January 1st Kingsley had come for Revanna. Desiree's last ditch efforts through Christmas, on the ground, in the faces of any potential customer because she couldn't afford another saleswomen, had been fruitless. The only thing she had to show for it was a memory of coming face to face with Spider-man.

The legal, ha, takeover of Revanna by Kingsley would have left her destitute and listless. She had managed to assure this position with the expensive aid of a local PI named Ashley Moon. She hardened her eyes. She wasn't going to be bullied further. "There are costs to doing business, Roddy."

"Yes there are," He responded to her mirror of his familiar reach with a smug smile. "However the troubles highlighted in your folder suggest sabotage."

"Are you making an accusation?" Desiree sat rigid.

"I would hate to make this get together hostile, Desiree." He didn't lose an ounce of composure.

"Then all you have is hearsay. I won't sit through this persecution." Desiree stood up. Kingsley appeared aghast at her tone and demeanor. She marched towards the door. Her hand stopped at the knob. "If you were being sabotaged, it would take years to even touch the profits you're bleeding out of my work and my dreams."

She ripped open the door to see Jason carrying a folder. "Your dog is here, Roddy."

"Ms Vaughn-Pope," Jason remained in her path, "You'll want to sit back down."

The blonde sneered at the bodyguard. The staring contest was in his favor. She curled her lip in disgust as she marched back to her seat. Jason stood over the shoulder of her chair. She adjusted the silver blouse she was wearing. She felt exposed and vulnerable between these two men.

"In this proposal," Kingsley opened the folder in front of Desiree, "You'll see an agreeable solution."

The charts and affidavits were doctored. Evidence planted and conceived to match the damage she had caused. Only, she had been clever and traceless. Given time she could fight it, but she had little savings and Kingsley could tie this up in court forever. This weapon of his was worse than the corporate muscle she had been hammered with over the last two years. She snarled. It took months of lawyering to find her any headway last time.

"You have me over a barrel," Desiree turned through pages. The severance was the rest of her year's pay. There was no victory in that but there could be opportunity. "What is it you want?"

Some small part of her dreamed of being coerced into a sexual affair. Not out of attraction. Kingsley was slime as far as she was concerned. She just wanted some means to fight him. He had taken her ideas, her dreams, her hard work. What was her pride to hurt him?

"Just sign the forms, Desiree," Kingsley affected an air of remorse. Jason handed her a fountain pen. She sneered. Her signature was beautiful quickly over with; a theme to all of the events in her life. "Do you need to be escorted out?"

"Roddy? Please go straight to hell." She answered yes.

** ** ** ** ** **

Martha Connors leaned back against the glass doors. Florida wasn’t treating her well. Picking up and moving from the city she had adopted and loved was hard enough. Feeling the foot on her ass to get her moving was enraging. Curt had been despondent since The Lizard. The few moments of the old Curt since then had been chased by immediate favors. Billy missed his friends. He wasn’t taking to the new school with anything but antagonism. Martha had hoped she still had five more years before he grew into a disgruntled teenager. Life went on. She rolled her shoulders and stood up. She stepped forward to enter the supermarket.

“You look like you’re having a bad day.” The woman’s voice made her back stiffen. Martha had been living fairly insular since coming to Florida and wasn’t expecting anyone to take an interest in her. The woman who talked to her was tall and beautiful. A black woman with the hint of a Caribbean accent. She was probably a few years younger than Martha.

“It’s not just the day,” Martha sighed. She hated being so gloomy, “But I can push through it.”

“It’s not always just pushing through it that needs to be done,” The black woman fell into step beside her. “I find a distraction helps.”

“I haven’t really had time to find myself distractions since I moved here.”

“Oh?” The black woman smiled, “I’m new to the state as well. Just a few days out of New York City. It’s so hard when you don’t know anyone.”

“New York? That’s where my husband and I came from,” Martha lit up a smile, “Well, you know someone now. I’m Martha.”

“Calypso,” The black woman took Martha’s hand, “Let’s say we get to know each other as we buy healthy food for people who won’t appreciate it.”

“Ha!” Martha smiled, “You know, I can see us being quick friends.”

** ** ** ** ** **

In nature, everything is connected. As scientists we explore and expand on those connections. Maybe as people, we should do the same?

That had been the first connection Peter had made with Liz. That had been September. Things had changed since then. She had barely kept a thought in her head. The quarterback's girlfriend, she had built the socially acceptable persona of the dumb cheerleader. Peter had given her more.

"You can be a nerd," he had told her. "You're smart."

Peter Parker had seen the best of Liz Allan and expected it of her. In doing so, she could hardly remain the half person she had been with Flash. She blamed herself for that relationship. She and Flash had done more growing up in the last nine months than they had in all their life. Still she bombarded herself with ifs and whys. If Flash hadn't been hurt, Liz would have been with Peter in early November. In that tiny window, Gwen had muscled her place in Peter's heart.

She loved Harry Osborn. Whatever Liz believed about Peter and Gwen, she knew they wouldn't be together. Gwen had chosen Harry. Gwen wouldn't leave Harry and steal her Petey.

Still he had hurt her. He had dressed up some it's not you it's me horseshit. Nothing had hurt like that. Not the fear she had felt when Flash went into surgery. Not the anger she felt when Mark had become Molten Man and was determined to gamble out of his hole.

Heartache had armored her. Liz had become someone who could keep Peter if not love him. He had saved her again. The flowers were both apology and testament. She had known he had feelings for her. He couldn't hide that. She had been second and that had stung. But now she was together with Peter. She understood. She had realized that love wasn't being the first one but being the right one.

He cared for her and she saw it in everything he did. She learned from him and more than just biology. She had a goofy smile on her face while he explained how mitochondria produced energy.

"ATP is--Whoa! Liz!" He was cute by how much he jumped when her hand settled on his thigh.

"Maybe its time we switched to chemistry," Liz suggested through a heated smile.

"I made a promise to you, to Aunt May, to professor Warren to bring your grades up." Peter ended the kiss.

"And you think I'm not going to make it?" Liz cocked an eyebrow and grinned.

"No, actually you're going to ace it," Peter backpedalled, "You just need a little more work and you'll be at the top of the class."

"Well I'm never going to beat you," Liz pointed out.

"No," Peter's agreement caused Liz's smouldering gaze to burn. "But it doesn't mean you can't tie me for a perfect score."

"Ha!" Liz laughed releasing a tension she hadn't quite felt coiling inside her. "There's got to be a good way to see how much work I need."

"I could quiz you," Peter suggested, "That'd be the easiest way."

"Excellent," Liz sat up, shook out her hair and smiled. Peter overcame his temporary hypnotic trance.

Peter closed the textbook. "What are the 5 kingdoms of living organisms?"

"Animal, plant, fungus, eukaryotes." She stopped for a second just until the look of pride on Peter's face started to waver. "Prokaryotes."

"Right," Peter grinned and then twitched at the clump clump of Liz's shoes hitting the floor.

"What are you doing?" Peter asked shocked.

"There's got to be some prize for getting the answers correct." Peter jumped as she felt her sock slide down the inside of his thigh. "Now close your mouth or you'll catch flies."

"Uh..." Peter closed his eyes and thought. "What is DNA an initialism for?"

"Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid." Liz responded quickly and sharply. She grabbed the hem of her teal t-shirt and ripped it off her torso.

"I don't know if this is the best test of your skills," Peter goggled at her blue bra, "I don't want you to get these questions wrong."

"Your Uncle Ben taught you a lesson." Liz pointed out. "You're not the kind of man to be corrupted by power."

The statement of fact enamored Peter further with Liz. She had also picked that moment to hand her right arm over the back of her chair. Her breasts displayed outward.

"What is the difference between plant and animal cells?"

"Plant cells have a cell wall made of cellulose and are more square than round in shape."

"Excellent!" Peter grinned. "Liz, what the--"

"I got the question right." She grinned sinking downwards. "I choose what clothes come off."

She stood up with a wide grin and both of Peter's socks. Peter watched her settle back onto her chair. Her beautiful smiled dared him to choose a harder question.

"What is the process by which life continues to evolve?" He softballed.

"Natural," Liz grinned to display her teeth, "Selection." She thought for a second and then hopped forward. She pulled Peter's blue and grey shirts off together.

"Hey that's two articles of clothing!" Peter managed no legitimate outrage.

"I thought you were in a hurry with these easy questions." Liz shrugged the challenge was clear. Peter wouldn't have his teaching skills besmirched.

"Fine," he grinned darkly, standing up in front of Liz. She looked up at him. Her smile was both innocent and daring. "What are essential amino acids? Name five."

"Better." Liz stood up. The distance between them negligible. Peter felt tingles running up his spine. He could feel the cups of her bra lightly pressed against his chest. They never broke eye contact.

"Essential amino acids are amino acids the body is unable to produce on its own. Therefore they must be provided through diet."

"Exactly right." Peter said and Liz reached behind herself. He felt her breasts jiggle as she unlatched their support. "Slow down Liz. You still have to name--"

"Lysine." Liz interrupted. Peter nodded and she reached forward to unlatch his belt. "Tryptophan." She pulled down his zipper. Peter swallowed air. "Phenylalanine." Another nod and she undid the button of his jeans. They began falling down his legs. "Methionine." Peter was now smiling like a fool. Liz pulled down the zipper of her skirt. That tumbled to a crumpled heap around her ankles. "And cysteine."

"Actually, cysteine is a nonessential."

"Damn!" Liz barked with feeling. She reached up behind her self and closed the hooks of her bra. She stepped back from Peter. Turning from him, she stomped and cussed. He laid his hands on her shoulders.

"C'mon Liz that was a pretty advanced question. If Dr Warren asked something like it it would be circle two essential amino acids." Peter stepped against her back and wrapped his arms around her belly. She smiled triumphantly at the hard penis pressed against the top of her butt.

"Almost isn't good enough, Peter." Liz turned and put her arms over Peter's shoulders. She caught his eyes and stepped forward and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I need to make you proud."

"I am ecstatically proud for how far you've come." Peter kissed her black hair. He took his hands from her side and began pulling down his underpants. "I know you're ready. I'm going to be fighting you for top marks."

Liz looked up brightly. Had he just said that she would outscore Gwen? Her smile turned feral. Her breath grew hot. Her panties flooded. She needed her Petey.

Peter worked her bra off. The spider-sense aiding him and in his confidence he stepped back pulling the garment down her arms and away from her body. She had dark nipples, erect and excited standing up from her breasts. The were high, round, full and beautiful. Peter would have swept her up in an embrace. Kissing her fiercely while he took her flesh in his hands and worshipped her. Liz acted faster than Spider-man good she sank down to her knees. Her long slender fingers directing his cock to her glistening lips.

"This is a beautiful cock," She whispered hungrily. Her left hand was cupping his balls. Lovingly, stroking the down from his shaft. Peter stepped a little wider apart. She kept her index finger draped over top of his cock. The nail of her pinkie finger scraped down across his asshole. Her right hand held the shaft. The pad of her thumb setting pressure against the base of the head while her fingers tugged up and down over the top of his shaft. She kissed the red head along the bevelled foreskin. Returning to rub her tongue back around. Peter grabbed her hair.

"Liz! I'll come! Slow down. You--Ah!" Peter grunted as he quickly succumbed to Liz's expertise. Her lips squeezed down over top of his cock and her hands tightened. She pulled every drop of semen onto her tongue.

A dribble escaped the corner of her coy grin when she looked up at Peter. Her boyfriend's head rolled backwards. She licked around her lips to keep from spilling anything on her kitchen floor.

"How's that Petey?" She asked as Peter finally breathed and slightly recovered.

"Liz! I kinda don't deserve you." He gasped. His hand stroked her cheek. She nuzzled into the caress. She didn't agree with him this time. Her fingers slipped back over his cock. He was already recovered.

"Oh, Petey..." She smiled up to him. He reached for her elbow and lifted her to her feet. "I'm always surprised by you. Do you know how strong you are?"

"Not always," Peter grimaced but she pushed her right knee over his left thigh and brought her lips to his. Peter accepted the kiss without considering where her mouth hand been. He let his hands settle on her hips. He pulled her body forward as she rolled her shoulders up. She kissed down onto his tilted back head. The stiffness of his cock rested against the soft skin of her thigh. He was balanced on the lip of his chair with just the curve of his ass.

Liz picked up his cock in her hand. It was still slick from her saliva. Her fingers tried bringing it to her sex. She had never felt so ready for sex. Peter seemed excited to. He was guiding her hips toward himself.

To Peter it was an awkward position but not undoable. The limits of his balance, flexibility and strength had been so far expanded that he could easily make it work. Every moment that he felt the press of her soft brown skin against his was incredible. Every second he saw the sexual drive reflected in her eyes was unmatched. Every kiss. Every whimper. Every connection. The head of his cock slipped up from her vagina and bumped into her clit.

"Petey..." She moaned. She took the base of his cock with her index finger and thumb.

To Liz it was hard to concentrate. She had spent weeks and weeks in a hurt filled angry denial. She was finally having Peter. Every previous fuck had been nothing more than a bookmark. She was impatient to get him inside her. There was no bad feelings in her heart. She would be filled by him. Their physical arrangement was horrid. Peter's cock slipped backward to be nestled between the curves of her ass.

"Petey?" She leaned forward and crooked her head into his shoulder. He brushed her hair. She shivered, expecting a collapse into a heap on the floor. "Let's try the table."

Their biology textbooks smacked the floor with two thumps. Liz moved the vase of Petey's flowers to the kitchen counter. He came up behind her. She felt his erection flush against her naked back as he started kissing the corner of her neck. She guided his hands. From her left hip to the valley of her breasts. Peter felt the fluttering beat of her heart. He nipped her neck as he collected her breast in his hand. His thumb crooked over her nipple. Hard tipped and pointing outward.

"You have such an incredible body." Peter praised. She directed his left hand over her waist and across her stomach. He began the descent and she reached into his hair. Her shoulders falling limp against his chest.

The fingers that teased her pussy were so strong. Liz had been excited, craving, ready. The first pressure against her clit nearly jellied her knees. She gripped tightly around Peter's head.

She was so wet. Peter swirled the tip of his middle finger over her clit. She gasped. Shudders running under her skin. He held apart her lips. Her need was drooling over her thighs. Peter started walking her backwards. He needed to satisfy the erection held against her back.

"Liz... Liz..." He whispered when he bumped into the kitchen table. He nipped the lobe of her ear to get her attention. Liz only sighed. He stopped caressing her sex.

"Huh? Petey?" She struggled through the haze. He turned her to face her. She accepted the kiss as an explanation. Liz turned the two of them. She hopped up onto the lip of her table. He pulled her knees apart. If he was any taller or shorter he would have had to take a an awkward bend of his knee. This was it. Peter grabbed Liz underneath her thighs and pulled her forward.

"Petey," Liz held his cheeks while he pulled her ass off the table and onto his cock, "I'm in love with you."

The words matched the entrance into her sex. Peter stopped. All of her weight balanced easily with his superhuman strength. He wanted to speak and his lips flapped like a hungry yellow puck chasing ghosts.

"No," Liz kissed him and lifted his eyes to hers, "I don't need you to say anything before you're ready."

There was an inherent promise in this. He had to fall in love with Liz. Or he had to break her now. Sweat beaded on his forehead and all he could see was Liz's affection. She began rolling her hips. The sweet sexual flesh rising up against his cock. Peter could only wallow for so long before the pussy around his cock took precedence. Liz's ass settled back on the table. The brown skin of her ass rippled with Peter's first thrust.

"Uh, ha-aaa," Liz sighed slowly. They started so slowly. She rolled back and forth the breadth of her ass. He slid his hands up behind her shoulders. Their bodies molded together. Some perfect feeling they had only previously imagined. Liz rested her head on his shoulder. Her left hand was palm flush against the tabletop. An unnecessary requirement, Peter had her and he wasn't letting go. His cock slid deeply inside her. He was drawing out and she was chasing. They brought themselves together again. Liz whispered a plea: "More."

Speed joined their sex seamlessly. The wet collision of flesh was the first movement of their orchestra. Liz grunted and keened with musical need. Peter huffed and hissed in rhythm. Their hearts added a crescendo percussion.

Climax: a symphony of Peteys, Lizzes, oh Gods, one I Love You and an untold number of wet splashes. The cum raced inside her pussy. No fear, she was protected. Peter had shown her what kind of woman she was. Intelligent, loving, capable, situationally obsessive. She was going to be a woman with a future not another teenaged statistic. She just wouldn't imagine her future without Peter.

For the first time since Liz had coerced him, Peter held her tightly. His and her bodies satisfied. He put his nose into her hair. Her shampoo and sweat made an intoxicating aroma. She kissed the side of his neck as he had for her. The clock said Peter would have to be on his way, but they were determined to share this moment a while longer.

** ** ** ** ** **

Peter usually managed to arrive at M3 before high school started to suck. Today was a different sort of day. On the bus he was forced to suffer MJ’s black silence. Meanwhile, Sha Shan and Flash were glaring at him. Apparently, stopping MJ had set Flash’s recovery back months. He gripped his cane tightly. He had already lost any chance of a college picking him up. His mom and dad could help with university but he had been intent on making his way on his own. He didn’t blame it on Peter, not the injury. He didn’t even blame the exacerbation on Peter. He would have dived for MJ in the same situation over and over again. Sha Shan was proud of him, as were his parents, his sister had even laid off calling him jerk last night. He took no direct action against Peter. He made no juvenile attempt at bullying. Peter felt the atmosphere begin to crush him.

MJ strode off the bus. Her chin up and her legs hurrying as she left Peter behind him. Flash and Sha Shan passed him like he was dog crap on the sidewalk. Peter envied dog crap, at least that felt a few moments of warmth.

Sighing, he soldiered forward. His eyes caught Harry walking hand in hand with Gwen. Peter’s sighs seemed chronic. What else was going to destroy his day?”

“Petey,” Liz was waiting for Peter by the fountain. She was in her cheerleader costume. The breezy summer look accenting her complexion and figure. She brushed her hair over her ear. Peter did his best not to verbally curse the heavens as he prepared to defuse this bomb.

“Listen, Liz,” Tear it off, like a bandage, drawing it out only hurts more, “About last night, I didn’t--”

The trumpet made him jump. I had been a long time before he had been so startled. His spidey-sense didn’t seem worried about tonitis. He flashed around. Liz’s hazel eyes widening and her smile tugging as she saw the extravagance. It was three men dressed as Spider-man wearing those flat america hats that seemed omnipresent in old movies and political rallies. The black spider emblem on their chest had been replaced by a bright pink heart. The first Spider-man stepped forward on bended knee. He placed one hand over his heart and offered a single rose.

“To Liz, you’ve caught my heart in your web!” He presented in a bright tenor.

“Oh my God, Petey!” Liz jumped up and down. “This is so embarrassing you must want to die right now!”

“That’s the nice way to put it,” Peter’s redness was caused by anger. First at Harry, but then he realized he had he had somehow agreed to this. Now he was just angry at himself and the spider-slayer. He was still raw and sore from the pitched battle yesterday. The second Spider-man stepped forward. He held a huge black box of chocolates tied off in a red ribbon. Peter looked to the last Spider-man and grimaced at the burgundy felt box. At least it was oblong, for a necklace or a bracelet maybe. Had it been ring sized, the world would have discovered his secret as he instantly webbed to safety. Perhaps in front of an oncoming bus.

“Lovely Liz,” The Spider-man offered the chocolates to the giddy cheerleader. “You turn me upside down.”

Peter wanted to flee. How come no one who wears my costume ever gets the quips right?

“Miss Liz Allen,” The third Spider-man had come forward and opened the jewelry box to reveal a light silver chain with a little sapphire pendant. It looked beautiful and in Peter’s price range. The non-extravagance deflected the idea that Harry was behind the gesture. “For all the things I’ve never said I’m sorry for. For all the ways you’ll make me a better man. From your Petey.”

The spider-man offered to fasten the necklace around Liz’s neck but she shooed him off. She passed the chain to Peter and used both her hands to lift her long black hair up from her neck. Peter swallowed as he caught the beauty of her skin and the invitation to be with her in front of the whole school. There was no escape, not without stomping her heart down and that wasn’t the man Peter was. Liz was a lovely creature, a bright affectionate girl that quite fiercely felt for him. Maybe she wasn’t his first choice, maybe she wasn’t Gwen, that didn’t mean he still couldn’t choose her now. He would have to wait for Gwen, like a vulture over Harry’s slowly dying body. After the fight last night and the ice he was feeling from MJ and May, Peter needed a little happiness.

It took him three attempts to figure out the clasp and attach the chain behind Liz’s next. The Spider-men were clapping lightly, infecting some of the crowd with their applause. Liz spun on her toes and slung her arms around behind Peter’s head. Their kiss caused the well wishers to explode with cheers and some of the worse class clowns to throw inappropriate catcalls.

“Ugh, just when we were through with the geek,” Sally sneered. Rand gripped Sally’s shoulders.

“She hasn’t smiled like that since the breakup, Sal,” Rand held his girl close.

“Yeah, she thinks she’s found the perfect shoes doesn’t mean they fit her.” Sally grumbled.

“But they’re her feet,” Rand overextended the metaphor.

Gwen was watching the display from her first class’s window. She didn’t have History with Harry so she wasn’t hiding the look of hurt or the knots tying her guts. She squeezed her eyes shut holding back tears. A few slow breaths and she took her seat next to MJ.

“What’s wrong girlfriend?” The redhead had avoided the whole display, unconcerned with whatever high school bullshit was going to explode today. She had wanted to keep her hurt and anger fresh for Peter.

“A little bit of everything,” Gwen declared. She leaned in against MJ as she received a hug. Mary Jane felt she needed it as much as Gwen.

** ** ** ** ** **

“What’s wrong Gwen?” Peter had been getting the cold shoulder. The bus ride to his after school internship had been a frosty silent hell. He had been forced to call and check in with May. He had sat next to Gwen and while their conversations had been quiet and melancholy in the recent months, they had existed. He had never felt this anger from her since they had gone skating over Christmas break.

“What’s wrong is that you’ve given up on me!” Gwen had wanted to growl but somehow couldn’t work out the rage. She wouldn’t kick him out of his bus seat but she wouldn’t force herself to talk to him yet. He was slow to catch on. He had tried broaching the subject about he and Liz but she shut that down. Now they were doing their jobs at the lab and she was going out of her way not to share a workstation with him.

“Mr Parker assist me.” Dr Warren announced as he strode past Peter.

“Of course, Doc,” Peter put down his cloth and windex and pulled off his thick rubber gloves. There was a box of medium sized blue latex gloves on the counter next to Doctor Warren. Peter inserted his hands into a fresh pair with two snaps. “What are we doing?”

“I have here a blood sample that has been seeded with a strengthening agent.” He gestured to a test tube rack that held one glass tube of blood and a metal tube. “I am going to attempt introduce healthy jupiter spores into the mix. I am looking to see if they can be regulated.”

“Interesting,” Peter’s eyes perked up. Debra walked behind them, her face twisting into an envious grimace. “And this could lead to helping John Jameson?”

“Among others.” Doctor Warren agreed vaguely. “Please pipet 2 ml of Jupiter Spores into this mixture.” He slid a graduated beaker in front of Peter. It contained a strong smelling solvent. Peter stepped back. “It’s non toxic but harsh smelling. Please, don’t be so cowardly.”

“Of course,” Peter stood up straighter. It was something Kurt would have forced him to perform in the fume hoods. Peter drew a pipet and bulb from a drawer and set to work. Doctor Warren was preparing glass slides with his SM-07 sample. Peter added the jupiter spores to the solvent and stepped back, rubbing the water from his eyes. Gwen and Debra had appeared over their shoulders to spectate. “The solution is ready.”

“Excellent.” Doctor Warren gestured and Debra handed Peter an eyedropper. “add one drop to both the B and C slides.”

The slides were prepared while Debra brought over additional microscopes. Doctor Warren was looking into the first sample typing shorthand notes into a word processor. Peter taped the left edge of each slide after sandwiching the blood and parasite between the glass.

“Remarkable.” Warren finally stood up after looking in the third instrument. It had been nearly twenty minutes.

“May I take a look?”

“By all means.” Warren stepped out of the way for Peter. Gwen stepped up and examined Sample C while Peter looked at Sample B. Their two shoulders touched and the sophomoric instinct to flinch away was quickly overridden by their shared curiosity.

“The leukocytes are active!” Which was surprising in a cold blood sample without the oxygenation and digestive processes of the human body to promote life. “They’re surrounding the spores. It’s incredible.”

“It is a brilliant step forward.” Warren nodded. “I understand you work at The Bugle mr Parker. Please refrain from passing on this single stage development to Mr Jameson.”

“Um,” The idea of Jolly Jonah’s ecstatic face was enough to keep the information to himself. Except, Peter liked John. John needed this cure. He looked into Doctor Warren’s passive face. Peter trusted him, despite Martha Connors’ warning, Warren had proven very clinical and methodical. If it wasn’t time to raise Jameson’s hopes, it wasn’t time. It was at this point that he remembered quitting The Bugle. “Of course, Doc. I don’t work there anymore anyhow.”

“Good.” Warren slid his gaze across his interns. “That is enough for today. Pack up and go home.”

** ** ** ** ** **

"You seem distracted May," Doctor Nicholas Bromwell, cardiologist, laid his hand across May Parker's hand. "What's wrong?"

"It's Peter," May sighed, "He's just been so reckless since Ben passed. The job at the Bugle was bad enough. "

“He’s a teenager, May. I’ve suffered a few of my own. They’ll find any and every way they can to terrify and enliven you.”

“How did you make it through it?”

“By holding tight to my seat and being as available as I could.”

“I sometimes feel like the chair is being pulled out from under me.”

Bromwell squeezed May’s fingers and she looked up. They shared a tight smile. The restaurant around them was calm and quiet. Their dirty plates lay pushed to the side awaiting a busboy or waitress. May had promised Bromwell that she would treat him to real food the next time they decided to have dinner. “Peter has lost so much. I’m actually kind of surprised I haven’t had more trouble with him.”

“He’s a good kid. I’ve spoken with him, very bright. So long as he keeps his brain working he’s going to turn out quite alright.”

“He’s so much like his father it’s scary. I wish Eddie was still around, that boy did a world of good for Peter.”

Bromwell grimaced. He had met that boy too. He hoped Peter wasn’t following too closely in his bro’s footsteps. “What’s say we move along? I know this great jazz band playing not far down the street. Perhaps a little music will cheer you up?”

“You know,” May grinned as Bromwell helped her to her feet. “It just might.”

** ** ** ** ** **

“Thanks Aunt Anna.” MJ put her hands around the steaming coffee mug. It was filled with tea and a splash of lemon. MJ calmed down again. “Sometimes I wish I could just live here.”

“We tried this a long time ago,” Anna sat down across from MJ, “But without getting child services involved your mother will keep bringing you back home.”

“I don’t want dad to go to jail,” MJ declared.

“He hasn’t hit you?” Anna knew the moment that happened she would act with or without MJ’s consent. Her brother was many things and if it wasn’t for MJ she was pretty sure she would have cut ties with him over a decade ago.

“No, he wouldn’t,” MJ thought about him and the night before. “He wouldn’t.”

Anna agreed, the one thing her brother had never done was hit MJ. Even at his alcoholic worst, he stayed his hand. It was the only reason she tried to help her sister-in-law as well as her niece rather than extricate them. As soon as MJ was 18, and hopefully there would never be cause to emancipate her earlier, Anna was going to get the fiery girl into an environment where her personality could thrive. MJ had so much to offer the world and as this model job was showing she had the energy and willpower to share all she offered.

“But I can stay here for a few more days? Just until the end of the weekend.”

“We could probably get away until the end of the school year if you like,” Anna pushed for more in a way that kept MJ from getting her back up. “Besides I’m sure May would feel better to have another set of eyes on Peter.”

“Yeah, he does seem to need a babysitter lately,” MJ grumbled. Anna sighed. She really liked May’s boy. After Mark and his gambling problem, May feared MJ might have an attraction for men who were no good for her. Although the few times she had met Mark Allan she had been quite impressed with the boy. If only he hadn’t taken to gambling.

“Are you going to the party? The one at Hydra?”

“How did you know about that?” MJ smirked with the corner of her mouth.

“Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I can’t be in the loop,” Anna announced.

“Well, I was planning on tagging along with Glory and Kenny.” MJ brushed her hair back.

“You could go with Peter. You always seem to beam after coming out from a night with him.” Anna took a sip of her tea and watched the teenager over the rim of her mug.

“No, I mean, I think I have to go as Mary Jane not as somebody’s date.” She decided. She couldn’t get into why she and Peter were at odds at the moment. Secrets sucked, but she had enough of her own to respect Peter’s.

“Now that, I understand,” Anna grinned. “Oh, I almost forgot!” Anna hopped up and rushed over to the kitchen counter next to her refrigerator. MJ watched the woman putz around, shuffling papers and attempt to root out whatever she had forgotten. She grabbed the papers and brought them over to the table.

“Is this the form?” She rushed her eyes over the words. “Is this mom’s signature?”

“Yes, she does understand what this means to you,” Anna nodded. “Now quit gawking at bureaucratic paperwork and fill out the damned form.”

“I can’t believe she’s letting me get the passport. Can we expedite this? Lily said if I get my paperwork quick enough that I could convince Roddy to let me join them on the Caymans shoot in July.”

“Absolutely,” Anna rubbed MJ’s shoulders as the redhead filled out the form. “You don’t hear this enough MJ, and not from all the people that need to tell you. But I’m proud of you. Very proud.”

MJ managed to keep the tears that came to her eyes from streaking her the ink of her pen.

** ** ** ** ** **

“Petey!” Liz wrapped Peter up in a much needed encircled hug. He felt like a drug addict. He could see the damage that was permeating his life. He could feel the rock bottom rushing up to him but he couldn’t stop. Liz was incredible. Beautiful, intelligent, caring, anybody would be lucky to have her smile at him.

And yet… He didn’t go looking for Gwen. She had cut that line of inquiry quite dead. Peter squeezed his arms around Liz. She smelled as beautiful as she looked. Peter tried to smile. The result wasn’t even that fake looking.

“Hey, babe,” He tore a page from Harry’s book, uncertain as he was with names now. “You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you,” She beamed, “Boyfriend.”

The pair unleashed a sickeningly sweet aura that the average high schooler avoided with a wide berth. No one tried to intrude on their conversation. Sally marched steadily by, a few paces in front of a shoulder slumped Rand Robertson. Flash and Sha Shan were sitting on a bench and wouldn’t look up for the end of the world. MJ’s eyes followed them until they disappeared around a corner.

 

“I didn’t tell you! I got the cutest skirt for the Hydra party next weekend.” Her voice dropped several smoldering decibels. “You’ll absolutely love it.”

Peter’s grin twisted awkwardly as his eyes widened and he blushed. His throat seemed to have closed off when he returned his ever witty: “Oh yeah?”

“Absolutely! This party is going to be the best.” She broiled as she looked at him.

“I’m starting to be persuaded.” Hydra was a popular under-ages club not far from M3. The school seemed to have come to agreement before Peter had begun attending that Hydra was the place to be. Until prom, this end of the year party tended to be the most important. Peter had never gone. Freshman year he and Harry had played Mario Kart in its many forms and overdosed on soda and salty chips. Last year, he had been bowling with Gwen and her dad.

“Oh, don’t get excited just yet.” Her lips neared his ear. “There is so much more I’ve got up my sleeves.”

“That sounds amazing but…”

“No buts. This is the best thing we can do for us.” Liz announced. Everyone who seemed to get with someone at the Hydra party was dating them when the next year started. That was where Sally had landed Rand. That was where, in freshman year, Liz had begun dating Flash. “I really need you there.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to.” Which to an extent it was. “I still have no idea if I’ll be allowed to go.” Peter sighed. They had taken seats in the back of their biology class. The rest of the class seemed an insulating fog not interested in the two of them. Harry’s arm snaked around Gwen’s shoulder and Gwen tilted her head onto Harry’s shoulder.

“It’s not until after finals. I do well enough on that and I’m sure I can convince May to let me celebrate with you.”

“You think?”

“Absolutely, it just means I’ll need to spend a bit more time with you to make sure I’m the top of the class.”

“And you can do it.” Peter grinned. “Tomorrow we’ll hit the books very hard.”

“Ms Allan, Mr Parker, Those are not your assigned seats.” Professor Warren announced after the bell to start class began. He had intended to be accommodating. It was incredible how far up the rungs Liz Allan had pulled herself under Peter’s influence. Even her other teachers had commented how bright the girl had seemed to become, and to Warren’s knowledge, Peter only tutored biology. However, despite the class’s best attempts to ignore the couple, their need to plan for this silly party was due to disrupt his lesson. Liz squeezed Peter’s fingers as he moved forward a table to the icy reception of Gwen Stacy.

** ** ** ** ** **

Today, Gwen’s shoulder was just as cold. Peter soldiered around the lab listlessly. He hadn’t shared a word with her beyond. “Please pass the Windex.” or “Dr Warren asked me to give you this.” Peter wondered how quickly he could pull his hair out frustration with the aid of spider enhanced strength. Sighing audibly, and unknowingly earning a quizzical eyebrow raise Debra Whitman, Peter put his mop and bucket into the locker and shut the door harder than usual.

“Try not to be so unruly.” Debra said from behind him.

Peter wasn’t certain if it was better to hear that condescending tone than to not hear from her at all. He decided to accept any human interaction as a good thing. “But my unruly side is what makes me such a charming rogue.”

Debra rolled her eyes and turned away before Peter got the reward of her smile. That was when the front door banged open.

“This will be over quickly and painlessly.” A man, perhaps part refrigerator, marched in with a ski mask and pistol held loosely in his left hand. Two more men, less physically intimidating but similarly armed marched in. “We have no interest of breaking anything. We have no interest in hurting anyone. If the four of you could proceed to the that corner we will get out of your hair in a jiffy.”

Gwen’s knees were knocking and Debra’s face looked gray and pale. Dr Warren quickly wrapped an arm around Gwen’s shoulders and said. “Come along dear. These men are clear and assertive. They will keep their word. Mr Parker, I leave Ms Whitman to you.”

“Uh,” Peter had been sizing up the men. He could easily web and disarm them from where he was standing. That would cost him his identity. And even if he was quick he couldn’t guarantee no one would get a shot off. He was between the gunmen and Gwen. He could dodge bullets but it would be better if they remained contained within their weapons. Debra grabbed for his hand just in time for Peter to assure the firing mechanism of his web shooter wasn’t laying against the heel of his palm. “Yes of course. Come on Deb.”

Debra and Peter hurried to the corner. Warren put Gwen and Debra behind himself but aligned it so Peter was the closest to the intruders. To the women he said: “This will be over quickly and no one will get hurt.”

Peter’s spider-sense was numb. He agreed with Dr Warren.

“I see you are sensible men. Stay in the corner and you won’t get hurt.” The first thug reiterated. Miles put his hand behind him on the counter and leaned back. Since Sable’s visit he was wearing the weapon every moment of every shift. He kept an eye on Peter, the boy seemed primed for a fight. A battle was outside his interests, so long as these toughs weren’t looking for the Spider-man samples. He settled a hand on Peter’s shoulder.

“Listen to them, Mr Parker,” He stood tall and looked at the attackers, “I’m trusting Gwen and Debra to you if things get bad. But until then, keep your head cool and your eyes open.”

“Excellent advice, Dr Warren.” It was then that the costumed criminal made her appearance. “I had heard rumors of your prudence and sense. I’m glad to see they were not exaggerated.”

She was dressed with perhaps less flair but more style than most of New York’s supercriminals. A dark violet coat fell down to her matching heeled boots . Her collar was turned up over her face, but the shadow cast by her wide brimmed hat seemed to illuminate her green eyes. She was an attractive woman, her dress an accent to her figure and the flare of her eyes compelling. Underneath the coat, which could only be seen as she strode forward letting the tails flow around her legs, she wore black stockings under a rose skirt. In her gloved hands she held a modified pistol. On the band of her hat and as a corsage around her left wrist were small bouquets of vivid violet flowers.

“And what is it I can do for you?”

“Sit quietly,” She answered. One of her guards unbuckled a hand truck from a nearby wall. “I just need a single reagent.”

“Who are you?” Gwen asked as she saw the woman, squat down and open the steel case below a fume hood. She capped and unscrewed a metal canister. Her muscle took it from her and one other matching one and tied them to the truck.

“My name?” The turn still obscured her face but the light hit her golden hair. She was familiar to Peter, the carriage and voice reminded him of Vaughn-Pope. He was determined to unmask and stop this woman. “You may call me Belladonna.”

“Mr Parker!” Miles hissed as the men started moving out Peter began moving forward. He looked back at Gwen and saw the fear in her eyes. She had a striking look, like May had had last week after the Slayer attack. He slowed. He wasn’t going to be able to follow her. Not yet at least.

“Are you alright?” He checked on Debra and Gwen, taking the responsibility Doctor Warren had given him to heart.

“I’m OK.” Gwen admitted. The front door closed.

“I’m uninjured.” Debra said. She stood up and brushed off the front of her skirt.

“Gwen call the cops,” Peter said.

“Ms Whitman, tell me what this woman stole.” Doctor Warren declared.

“I’m going to make sure they’re gone.” Peter said heading to the door. Gwen almost started towards him but Doctor Warren put a hand on her shoulder. She sighed and took out the phone to call her dad.

“It’s time to see how well these work.” Peter snuck one of the tracers from the compartment on his belt. Belladonna was directing her men swiftly to load the truck. Peter used all of his agility and skill to whip the tracer through the air. It stuck to Belladonna’s hat, just behind the flowers. “Better hurry, Belly. Cause I’m coming for you.”

** ** ** ** ** **

“Hello Peter.” Peter was greeted coldly by Liz’s mother. “I expected you earlier.”

“I’m sorry about that Mrs Allen. There was a thing at the lab and--.” Peter smiled back his nervously.

“She’s set up in the kitchen.” The woman stepped back and held open the front door, no more interested in Peter’s excuses. He walked, slumped shouldered, under her scrutiny. There was something crushing in her eyes. Peter tried not to look too hard for it. He moved the familiar path through the large apartment to where Liz hovering over her textbook. A beautiful soothing image in for Peter’s locked up existent. She was concentrating, the nub of her pencil being slowly chewed as she brushed a stray lock over the back of her ear.

“Hi Liz,” Peter greeted after taking a moment to watch her. She shivered. Her surprise well hidden when she looked over. She kicked out the chair next to her.

“I didn’t think you could make it.”

“Looks like you were mistaken.” Peter sat down. “Well that’s enough of that, for the rest of the night you’re going to be correct.”

“Peter, Lizzie,” The two teenagers turned to see Mrs Allen hovering at the kitchen entrance. “I was kind of hoping you two would start earlier and be done by now. I have to get ready for work. Peter, your aunt has asked you make it home before 10. So that only leaves you an hour or so to study.”

“He can tell time, mom,” Liz rolled her eyes as she heaped on the impatience and sarcasm.

“Can he, dear? He was supposed to be here at 7:30.” Neither Liz nor Peter had the time to retort before the older woman turned and left. The teenagers looked at each other and Liz sighed. One last shout came down from the bedroom. “Your father should be back by eleven. Having a boy in your room while we’re out is not OK.”

Liz and Peter flushed completely red. Liz’s voice wavered as she shouted back: “Oh go to work already!” Her voice lowered and her eyes turned away from Peter. “We actually do have to study too, you know.”

“Then we should probably get to work.” Peter declared hoping to overcome either of their embarrassments. Liz smiled and grabbed her seat. She hopped until she was tight alongside her boyfriend. They shared their smiles and Peter dragged his bookbag onto the table.

The work went quick. Peter was enthusiastic about the subject. Peter had the perfect audience to show off too. He even managed to put the thought of Belladonna out of his mind for a while. They started with a quick review of the semester’s work. Liz was on her game with only a few questions that were inspired. Peter and Liz’s feet were crossed under the table. The better Liz did the more affectionate she became.

“I’m confident you’re going to kill it.” Peter leaned back with a bright smile on his face.

“It’s all because of you, Petey,” She smiled leaning in to kiss him lightly. As she leaned back and their eyes were locked on each other Peter began thinking of all the best and greatest thing Liz had been for him. Every day he was close to her made it that much harder to remember he had chosen Gwen.

“I’m out the door, Lizzie. Good luck with your studies. Keep an eye on the clock Peter.” Mrs Allen’s voice hovered disembodied a moment before the front door slammed shut. Liz immediately curved her mouth in a clever smile.

“How about we take a little break?” Liz offered.

“I think--”

“Oh, we’re not done here yet.” Liz squeezed Peter’s thigh. “But I could use a drink.”

“That sounds good what do you have?”

The answer turned out to be diet soda, lemonade and liquor. Liz offered the first two choices. She didn’t think Peter would appreciate the other option and she had her own recent bad memories with alcohol.

“Hey,” Liz opened her can of diet Pepsi and leaned her knee into Peter’s. He was putting his half drained glass of lemonade onto the table. “What’s going on with the curfews and everything?”

“Ah, May found out I took some Spider-man pictures and she got all twisted up.”

“I thought that was your job.”

“No, I kind of quit after my boss started having a supervillain tail me to find Spider-man.”

“No way!” Liz smacked Peter’s arm. “Who was it? Electro?”

Peter laughed. Liz had come face to face with Electro. Twice. Plus she had been in school when Venom attacked. “No, it was the Scorpion.”

“Really? Oh my god. That must have been terrifying. I’m so glad you’re OK,” She leaned in squeezing him. Peter wrapped one arm around her and took another drink with his left. Her nearness, her scent, her warmth and her affection had been instigating bodily responses all night. The press of her breasts against his chest was only making it more insistent.

“Yeah, I’m fine. And technically he wasn’t the Scorpion while he was following me. I had to quit. That’s why I started the other job.”

Liz pulled back. “Shooting supermodels all day! I can only imagine why you got bored and chased after Spider-man.” Liz rolled her eyes with a laugh. There was something secondary to her comment but Peter didn’t dwell on it.

Liz had been more than amazing to him. She was warm, welcoming, and cared so much for him. He felt the full story, from spider-bite to belladonna coiled like a spring, waiting to get out. MJ knew. He remembered seeing the fear and worry compound in the model’s green eyes. He saw Liz, imagining her bright and beautiful face twisting in horror. He couldn’t do that to her. If he told her than he would hurt her. If she knew, so many others would seek to hurt her. There was a reason Peter Parker put on a mask.

“Yeah, I just miss it. I even think I miss Jolly Jonah to be honest.” Peter slumped. The last of his lemonade disappeared into his mouth. Liz took a little sip of her soda.

“Well, I figure after doing it for months you should know how to look after yourself.” Liz smiled. “Get yourself hurt doing something stupid and you’ll have me to answer to.”

“Deal.” Peter smiled. Liz pecked him again and grabbed her glass. She walked to the kitchen.

“You ready to get started again?”

“Sure, where were we?”

“We were talking about how cells produce and consume energy.” Peter opened his book back to the page. Liz settled in next to Peter. She felt a mix of emotions but lucky was winning out.

In nature, everything is connected. As scientists we explore and expand on those connections. Maybe as people, we should do the same?

** ** ** ** ** **

Frustration, your name is public computers. Peter pulled the hard plastic chair up to the library computer. This was the only time he could get online. His aunt had confiscated his laptop for the duration of his grounding. He had his Osberry, but until he had everything set up he was stuck. That he hadn’t run off after the new villain was a small point in his favor. And now he was spending his high school lunch hour in the school library like the social giant he was.

Belladonna. He hoped she hadn’t found his tracer. The slow boot of the computer finally finished and he managed to access his home computer remotely. Thankfully May hadn’t shut it down. It’s cooling fan was probably sucking up whatever dust it could find in the bottom of May’s closet. Peter only needed access for a short while. He almost prayed that the battery wouldn’t die out while he finished this. He quickly uploaded the tracking software to his phone. He was on the edge of the seat while the slow moving icon announced the sharing of his files.

“Finally!” He sighed. He whipped out his Osberry and brought up a holographic map of New York. The winking light from Brooklyn into Midtown was the path Belly had taken last night from the ESU lab. The light had been sitting in some old apartment since then. Peter sighed. Of course, she had found it. His eyes went wide. The Osberry was suggesting it was taking an elevator down and out of the building! She was on the move! The tracer worked! He smiled. He was looking forward to taking down the villain that had scared Gwen. His smile slowly faded at the instant he imagined Gwen’s sad smile.

“There you are, Petey!” Peter jumped when Liz appeared and walked over to him. “What’re you doing?”

“Aunt May took my computer.” He figured half the truth would suffice. “I just needed to get something off of it.” He waved his phone and moused over the shutdown protocol.

“Well come on!” Liz hugged around his arm. Her touch fired up every primal instinct in Peter. He could barely talk as he was led away. “Lunch is almost over and you need some food to keep that big beautiful…” Her voice grew husky and quieter as she leaned into his ear “brain working.”

Peter wasn’t certain if he spent more time laughing or covering his erection on his way down to the cafeteria.

** ** ** ** ** **

The offices of Kingsley Scents were still operating smoothly despite their CEO’s seeming abandonment of them with the Oscorp takeover. The employees nearly left their asses in their chairs as they rocketed up to their feet. “Good day, Mr Kingsley”’s and “Yes sir, right away, sir!”’s followed him as in step as Jason.

“Things appear efficient.” Jason noticed. Kingsley had a way about him. People sat up straighter and walked more lightly when he was around. They didn’t know that they wouldn’t be in those positions if Kingsley didn’t share an implicit trust in their work. This trust did come from his hatchetman business tactics. Extra vigilance was never dissuaded by Kingsley.

“I still need to confirm three points now that we’ve finally dismissed Desiree.” Kingsley muttered. He affected a bright and disingenuous smile as he walked into speak with his vice president. Jason sat down in reception, back to the office and eyes to the entrance. The receptionist smiled at him but wasn’t rewarded for her friendliness. Kingsley shut the door behind him. The chair was turned towards the expansive Central Park view. Kingsley was about to announce himself when he saw the long booted feminine leg stretching out to the left of the chair.

“Welcome back, Roddy,” The voice was honey and nails. “I’ve been waiting all day for this visit.”

“No, don’t call for Jason.” A heavily built man announced his presence by stepping out from an adjacent boardroom. He had a red bandanna tied over his nose and mouth. It was slowly dripping. Roderick recognized his manager crumpled on the floor in front of the thug’s legs. The pistol pressed into the temple was small, but no less intimidating in the moment. “There could be an accident.”

“I assume I’m here to speak with you.” Roderick would have immediately hollered for Jason if he believed the man threatening his employee would only have had the time to shoot the manager and not turn the gun upon Kingsley. The woman turned her chair.

Belladonna climbed to her feet. She was holding her modified pistol limply in her left hand. Her face was obscured by the high collar of her coat and the lowered tip of her hat’s brim. “I’m not here to speak at all.”

She tossed the gun to her right hand and caught it level with Roderick’s throat. Kingsley grimaced. “You’re going to shoot me? Aim well because Jason will be in here in a second and you’ll be very dead. You’re not the first to point a gun at me and you won’t be the last. I deal with cowards like you every day.”

“I’m not going to shoot you. That would be too easy. You’ve poisoned my dreams. I intend to poison you.” She lowered the gun and snapped the trigger. A small cannister was released with a pneumatic hiss. The bullet shattered against Kingsley’s solar plexus. He dropped to his knees, hyperventilating. Wisps of yellow smoke were rising up all around him. She popped off another four shots on the floor around Kingsley. The smoke quickly permeated the room. There was a click as the boardroom door closed behind the thug. The manager was left slumped against the inside door.

“You’re going to die with me.” He looked up as his eyes watered. He couldn’t quite raise his voice. Every breath was leaving his head swimming and tears ran down his face.

“I won’t be joining you today, Roddy,” She pulled open her collar to reveal a dripping bandanna around her face. “I just like to watch.”

The air was thick with the fog from the pellets. Kingsley had turned and tried crawling towards the door but Belladonna had stepped her spike heel into the back of his hand. He coughed more than screamed. He barely noticed the hammerblow landing against the high rise window. Belladonna turned to see Spider-man hovering against the plate glass. Slam! Fist and elbows buckled the glass. Cracks webbed out around him.

“No! No!” Belladonna screamed looking down at Kingsley. “I only need five more minutes.”

The glass didn’t shatter but a fist size hole opened in front of Spider-man’s hand. There was an immense rush of wind. The gas spraying all over his face while he hammered out a bigger hole. The office door was kicked in and Jason stepped in, gun raised in both hands. Belladonna’s pistol was ready for him and gas erupted over his face. Eyes stinging and breath hitching he tried to track her as she dashed for the boardroom door.

“Oh, come on! I know I was late but that’s no reason to run out on our first date!” Spider-man finally dived in. The opened window and door dispersing most of the gas quickly out over New York city. The crack of Jason’s bullets left splintered holes in the door behind Belladonna. “Hey, meathead! Less shooting and more dragging this guy to safety.”

“Yeah,” Jason realized his boss might have other priorities but saving Kingsley’s life was the first line of Jason’s job description.

The receptionist had already called for cops and EMTs so Spider-man rocketed out the window. His eyes were blinking madly. The tears made it near impossible to read the display on his Osberry. OK, she’s going down the stairs and--

MJ’s ringtone erupted blanking out the holographic display. “What MJ?”

“Jesus, Peter. What crawled up your butt?” She asked with a hurtful sneer.

“Nothing I--”

“Well I was trying to call and say I was sorry for how spastic I’ve been acting. Gwen told me about the ESU attack and how you stayed with them. I just wanted to say… Is that wind? Where are you?”

“I’m--I am... foll’win’ a van to... Breklahn....” Spider-man slurred. The city flickered and all of the sudden he was no longer swinging, but hanging vertical. His osberry would have fallen to the street if it hadn’t been stuck to his hand. His spidey sense was tingling and his head was ringing. Quickly he fired another web and started swing for home. His previous line dissolved in the wind. He had to have been out for nearly an hour. What was in that gas?

He checked his Osberry and saw that Belladonna was stopped in the same apartment building in Midtown. The clock warned him to call it in. Grimacing and woozy, he turned for home.

“Peter Benjamin Parker.” Was not the terse angry warning he would have liked when he walked in. MJ was sitting on his living room couch. May was glaring at him at the bottom of his stairs.

“Hi Aunt May,” He tried to be bright and cheery. At least whatever Belladonna was using didn’t mess him up as bad as that fake Black Cat’s poison. The headache was already all gone.

“You cannot and will not go chasing after Spider-man anymore.” She growled. “You’ve seen what happened to Hobie Brown. You know that Gwen was kidnapped. Why would you even think of doing something so dangerous? So stupid!”

“May, I--”

“I’m not finished.” May snapped. “I understand wanting something exciting in your life. I was hoping Liz would be enough to temper you. I can see now that you need to be watched more closely.”

“I’m already grounded!” Peter growled. “What else can you do to me?”

“I am doing nothing to you, Peter.” May grimaced. “I am doing this for you. I cannot trust you to be smart and safe. MJ has agreed to walk you to school and keep an eye on you.”

Peter went white in the face at the betrayal. He turned and saw that MJ was staring at the switched off television. “Look at me, Peter.” May barked. He had never seen her this angry before. It had given him more than pause but he was in a fight. His body was pumping adrenaline and telling him to stand up for himself.

“You can’t do this! You can’t--” He was intent to storm passed May and up to his room. He had the sense not to lay hands on the woman and force her aside.

“Give me your phone, Peter.” She held out her hand. “All study sessions with Liz will occur at that kitchen table. You will only be going to school, Doctor Warren’s laboratory and to work at Kingsley’s. No Silver Spoon. No Hydra. No Harry’s.”

“Aunt May!” He was half tempted to just web May to staircase while he yelled at MJ about what was happening. He still had to find Belladonna. She had tried to kill people.

“Peter Benjamin Parker. Give me your phone.” He didn’t mean to slap the Osberry as hard as he did into the palm of her hand. He muttered an unconvincing apology. He wouldn’t meet MJ’s eyes as he ran up the stairs. She slumped down and May put her hands on her shoulders.

“They never let you forget,” May whispered to hold back the tears, “It is so very hard to love a Parker.”

“It’s not that hard to love you.” MJ got up and gave May the hug she needed.

“That’s because as hard as Ben, Peter and Richard tried: I’m still a bit of a Reilly.”

** ** ** ** ** **

“Are you alright, Petey?” Liz looked up from her notebook. She had just deliberately made a mistake. Normally he was quick to correct and help her but he seemed despondent. His punishment was being born like a cross.

“What? Oh, I’m good.” He looked at her sheet. “Liz, at least try to be subtle.”

“What?” She faked surprised and followed his finger to her work. “Caught me, huh?”

“I think you’re set.” Peter reclined back. “You’re going to ace this final.”

“I know, I’m feeling confident too.” Liz grinned. She looked over her shoulder. Aunt May’s head was hovering over the couch, ten feet away. She was feeling this madness as badly as Peter seemed to be taking it. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’m sure she’ll let me take you to Hydra to celebrate. It’s only a few days.”

“I’m not convinced.” Peter slumped back. Actually he had forgotten about the party. Interest had waned completely. When he had access to his phone he had been checking on Belladonna. Apparently she hadn’t left the brooklyn apartment, or at least her hat had not. She was dangerous and if she was after Roderick Kingsley that could make Harry, Gwen and MJ collateral damage. It was impossible. The only time he had without MJ or May hovering over him was at ESU lab and he was convinced Gwen had been recruited into his army of babysitters.

“She’ll have to! I will talk to her. Just keep up being the Petey we love and this will blow over.”

Peter sighed and shook his head. “I hope you’re right Liz.”

They continued for a few hours. May’s presence was never oppressive but was always there. When they closed up their books, Liz leaned in to kiss him goodbye. May gave them a few moments but once Liz’s hand started wandering, she appeared in the kitchen and bid her a warm farewell.

Night offered no opportunity. May watched television with him. He sequestered in his room from 10 on. He knew that May would check in on him a couple of times that night. He couldn’t sneak out. He pounded his pillow and slept fitfully. If he had the willpower to talk to MJ the next morning he would have taken her head off.

School passed with unease. Liz was attached to Peter giving him a small barrier between MJ and himself. The redhead was always nearby, chatting with Glory or Harry and Gwen. Peter went to the washroom several times just for a few moments to himself.

“MJ please! She’s out there! She could hurt somebody!” He pulled her aside between the afternoon periods.

“She could hurt you Peter!” MJ grimaced. This wasn’t their first combat over everything. “This isn’t safe it isn’t smart.”

“It’s my responsibility!” Peter shook her by the shoulders. She pulled back and shot him a look that hit harder than any slap.

“No, Peter it’s not.”

“Yes it is! I can act so I have to. I am Spider-man. That means something. To me and to every person I saved.”

“I’m not going to help you kill yourself!” MJ’s voice carried. She shouldered through Peter and he held his head in hands.

“I have to do something.” He whispered to her but she completely stormed off. Sighing Peter turned and trudged towards English class. He didn’t see Harry watching him as he settled deeper into his mire.

 

** ** ** ** ** **

The last week of school crept up on Manhattan Magnet Midtown High school on the shoulders of exam terror and summertime impatience. Biology was Peter’s second final and Liz’s second last. The clock ticked like a hammer on an anvil to Flash Thompson. Gwen kept looking across to Peter who was nonchalant in his confidence. It was a straightforward exam. Professor Warren wanted his students to show they had absorbed his curriculum not that they were creative masters of his syllabus. Liz Allan sweated through the multiple choice portion. The heel of her white sneaker vibrated as she blitzed the diagram labels. Her lip was squeezed tightly between her teeth as she wrote out the short answers. Her stomach overturned as she did the single final page large question. There was a two point bonus question on the final page.

James Watson and Francis Crick, Liz’s hand left a final flourish as she scrolled back to dot the i’s and cross the t. Peter’s chair scraped the floor as he stood up to hand in his paper. Liz took a deep breath. She was going to take another look at her answers. She hadn’t missed anything. She had felt confident despite the normal pressure of test taking.

The rest of the class was filtering out. Peter had left a few minutes ago. Gwen was long gone. Flash had slammed his paper on Professor’s Warren’s desk with all of the confidence of spiked football. He only used his cane when he was getting the door to leave. Sha Shan was grinding her teeth as she tried to remember Watson and Crick’s first names. Harry Osborn wiped his brow slumped his shoulder. Liz took a deep breath.

“Professor Warren?”

“Yes Ms Allen?”

“Could you tell me how I did?” She gave him a pleading look.

“I suppose. But if someone else needs my attention I’ll have to postpone.”

“Oh thank you!” Liz stopped herself from hugging a teacher. She hopped on each foot at the corner of his desk as he looked over her paper. A smile growing on his face. He was nodding and Liz was less confident about the integrity of her bladder. He flipped back to the first page.

“Ms Allen, are you certain this is the answer you wish to leave for question 11?”

She looked down and saw the word Cysteine circled. She almost started laughing. She did get a little bit red in the cheeks and wet under the skirt. “Uh, no.” She grabbed a pencil from a cup on the corner of Dr Warren’s desk. She hurriedly circled tryptophan.

“I must say Ms Allen. This is the kind of paper I like to grade.”

“How so?”

“Right answers are so much easier to deal with than wrong ones. I believe this will give you a final A- grade for the year. Congratulations. Be sure to tell Mr Parker he has a brilliant pupil.”

“A-?” Liz had been cruising for D at the start of the year. Her eyes were wide and her feet sluggish as she trudged out of the classroom. She grumbled an “-nk you” to Harry for holding the door. Peter was down the hallway talking with his latest babysitter. Liz was running when she grabbed him in a tight hug around his left arm. “I did spectacular and it’s all thanks to the world’s greatest tutor!” She kissed him hard on the lips. She had been aiming for his cheek but he had turned. Somehow unsurprised to find her so violently at his side.

“Congrats Liz.” MJ smiled from across the way. The redhead immediately called Liz’s attention. The puerto rican girl squeezed Peter’s ass. She gave him a quick peck when he jumped and turned towards the redhead.

“I just got a perfect score on a biology.” Liz stepped confidently close to Mary Jane. “I’m going to show Petey some gratitude. If you try and stay and chaperone. I might tear your throat out.”

MJ blanched and looked to Peter who offered no support. “Catty’s you’re thing Pete? I should have guessed.”

There was something triumphant in her stomp away. Liz had no recourse but to stick her tongue out at the redhead. All of her wrath disappeared when she twisted on Peter.

“A perfect score?”

“All thanks to my Petey.” Liz grabbed his fingers in both of hers. “Now come on.” She began dragging him towards the lower classrooms. Peter raised his eyes. He had some good bad memories of this place. He wasn’t sure what to say but he apparently had an hour and Liz wanted to celebrate.

“That was brutal but I think I did it.” Gwen jumped when Harry appeared beside her. She turned back to her boyfriend as MJ huffed passed her.

“Yeah, I--”

“You did amazing as always.” Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her hair. “Want to grab some pizza?”

“Yeah, sure Harry.” She answered with a demure lack of confidence. She leaned her head on Harry’s shoulder. Feeling guilty about thinking that at least he was here with her.

“I can’t believe it. He promised me an A- final grade. I’m an A student.” Liz bubbled as she looked both ways before slipping into the unused classroom.

“You were always smart Liz.”

“I needed a reason to be.” She kissed Peter again. “Now I’m going to give you exactly what you’ve wanted this last week.”

“I’ve had quite a bit of it. You were a very good schoolgirl.”

“Oh teacher!” She pulled his shirt to her while they kissed more. “But that’s not all my Petey wants is it?”

Peter saw the flair in her eyes and was uncertain what she was suggesting. Were they going to try some weird or different sex. He was still head over heels with making out. She pulled back and let go. “I think I do want something more.”

"What you want is some freedom, Petey. You’ve been going stir crazy having MJ, Gwen, Mom and your Aunt May all watching you." Liz declared. She began unfastening his jeans.

Peter was out of his depth in responding. Liz was reaching into his underwear and grasping the cock that had been erect since Liz had told MJ she needed some time alone to thank Peter. Liz was telling Peter to run off and stretch his caged wings.

His pants weren't dragged to the floor. Peter was only stripped enough for Liz to begin running her fingers over his cock. Peter shuddered at her cool touch.

"I still can't believe how well I did." Liz began rolling her wrists. She had clasped the cock in both hands rubbing it towards her belly. "And I owe it all to you."

"You're smart Liz, you need to give yourself some credit." Peter said between long slow breaths.

"Your faith in me completely throws me." Liz admitted. Her hands moving just a little faster. Peter exhaled loudly. "You're so beautiful Liz. You can get the right boyfriend. Play in the right circles." Peter strangled as he inhaled and Liz kissed him calmingly on the lips. The head of his cock was lightly squeezed in the heels of her palms as she ran her ten fingers back down the shaft. "No ever told me I was smart."

"That doesn't mean I don't think you're beautiful." Peter was holding himself up by gripping her arms just below the shoulder. 

"I am feel beautiful. Every time you get this smile on your face." And she kissed his halfwit grin. "I feel brilliant when you're showing me the way. I feel incredible when I get to be in your arms."

Peter didn't know what to say. He kissed her lightly. The gears were spinning madly in his brain. Guiltily, he wanted to stay with Liz. He wanted to be with a beautiful caring woman who eagerly gave of herself to him. He wanted the cheerleader on his arm. He wanted to feel important. He wanted to be in love. What he felt for Liz he would have called love, if it wasn't so different than what he felt for Gwen. It was like some medium between Gwen's affection and Black Cat's temptation. It was intoxicating.

Liz broke the kiss. Her forehead rested against his. Her eyes matched his. The steady rhythm of her handjob the only break in their stillness. "There's something I want to do before I send you off."

Her thumb hooked to cradle the head of his cock. She slowly kissed him. Peter cupped her neck and jaw in his left hand. His right molded around her breast. She lifted her lips off Peter's. "I'm going to suck your dick."

Peter responded with a vibrating breath. He kissed her again, but it was only a small peck. Liz had places to be. She sank, settling on her knees.

Her left hand was steady, just holding Peter tightly beneath the swollen head of his cock. Her right hand was still stroking, just the inch and quarter between her hand and the base. Liz dragged her tongue clockwise around the head. Peter's posture ratcheted straight. The flat of her tongue collected the beginnings of Peter's erection.

Peter loved the slow attention Liz gave to his cockhead. He kept watching, but her eyes were closed or looking down. He didn't know what to do with his hands and his arms stuck out slightly to his sides with fists flexing. Liz's lips gave a quick peck before sliding open to squeeze and engulf the head of his cock. Her tongue prodded the hole and her teeth lightly settled on the flesh. She slowly dragged her mouth back off the cock. Peter twitched and shuddered.

"You know I like to do this?" Liz laughed. Her eyes flashed up to Peter's. Something in her eyes encouraged Peter stroked Liz's hair behind her ear. Her left hand descended and cupped the balls. The jerking smirk on Peter's face encouraged her to squeeze. She ran her other hand up his shaft. Her fist formed around the head. She held the cock upright; the side of her cheek gliding against the soft skin of his cock. She kissed the side of his cock with a smile. Her tongue dragged upward as her fingers slid back down.

"Liz, I'm--"

Peter's words were lost in a breathy sigh. Liz collected his cock into her mouth. Her tongue washed back and forth under the head as her lips sealed just behind it. She was stroking his balls and rolling her fist against her lips. Her throat was flexing as her face was seesawing against his cock.

"Liz..." Whispered Peter. He was caught between awe and what his imagination told him should happen. His hand was curling her hair around his fingers. Slowly, lightly, he began urging her further down his cock.

Liz smiled. Boys were easy. She crept incrementally down his cock. Just another half inch. She was feeling the beginnings of intimidation. Peter wasn't a small boy, but by the insistence of his tug he must've thought Liz was a big mouth. She tried to pull back and let out calming breath from her nose when Peter let her.

"Oh my God," Peter sighed bringing Liz's nose just a little bit closer to his waist. His second hand settled on the base of her skull. He didn't think. He couldn't believe. He wouldn't relent. 

Liz coughed, sputtering spittle all around the imperfect seal her lips made at the base of his cock. Peter's eyes widened. He let go of the tension. Liz pulled back a couple of inches. She quickly went back again.

Cross-eyed, he just didn't know what was going on. Liz's throat struggled against the head of his cock. Lightheaded, he swayed above his waist. Liz dragged her lips back, almost off of his cock. She pushed forward. Her cheeks sunken in tightly against the shaft. Red faced, Peter gasped, embracing oxygen like it was long lost friend.

"I'm almost there." Peter struggled each syllable out through a rictus grin. His neck rolled back. His throat red and taut. Peter held fistfuls of black hair. Liz bobbed her head up and down. Speed and contact in great supply. At the top of her retreat, she slowed. She looked up for once not finding Peter's eyes waiting for her. Liz knew was coming. She licked and curled her tongue over the head of the cock.

"When it's you, Petey. I need to be the best I can be." She whispered, her lips moving warmly against the end of his cock. He shuddered. "I want you to cum in my mouth."

He held back no longer. His sticky mess slathered all through the inside of Liz's cheek. The head of his cock chipmunked her cheeks. There was more, pulsing and drooling into her crowded mouth. Peter's hand slipped from her tousled black hair. He left a sweaty sheen over the tangles.

"Liz! Oh hell." Peter gasped as she chased his cock from her lips. Saliva glistened on his cockhead but she had collected all his spending. He sought her eyes and she opened them slowly. "You're incredible."

Liz didn't get up but sat down onto her ankles. Her tongue chased any remnant of Peter's orgasm off her lips. She visibly swallowed and Peter's flushed face paled. "Now, go on Peter. I’ll tell MJ you’ll meet her at work."

“Liz. You’re way too good for me.”

“Of course I am. Remember, you owe me the Hydra party.”

“I’ll be there. I promise.” Peter held her head and kissed her. A string of something Peter refused to think about kept their kiss connected by a thread.

“Good, now run along. You can’t be cooped up all day.”

** ** ** ** ** **

Spider-man was attached on the tower of the Oscorp grounds. He pattered commands into his Osberry.

The small holographic display formed into a map of New York. It was an unnecessary action he had known where she was heading. How could he have been so lucky? Spider-man had employed his tracers because he couldn't afford to continually trip over his villains. Sooner or later, luck runs out. Later it seemed. The light was crossing through Brooklyn with the slow beat of New York traffic.

MJs ringtone rattled his phone right on time. "Hey Red, Liz tell you where I was?"

"She knows!" Mary Jane's shrill squeak blasted through the speaker.

"Not as such, obviously," Spider-man shrugged, "I really did need the swing to Oscorp."

"That's all?" She hissed as she quieted.

"I also got to look at my phone without having someone over my shoulder. That was nice."

"Ha, Tiger... Look, I can see that I'm being a problem. I--I'll try to cool down. Just don't be stupid." Mary Jane laughed hollowly. "I hate that you didn't have to take the bus. Misery and company, you know?"

"See you at work." Peter smiled. He hung up as MJ signed off. It was time to enter as Peter. It wouldn’t be long now, but it would be easier to get a bead on Kingsley out of uniform. Spider-man hadn't been spotted but he still needed to find a corner to strip off the red and blues.

MJ arrived a few minutes later. The midtown trip was short, only four stops on her bus route. She headed quickly towards the east wing where Kingsley had set up a studio near the chemical plant that manufactured much of his line. He had quickly moved in on Oscorp’s resources to accelerate and expand much of his power. MJ was oblivious to much of it. She had seen little besides this studio, a couple of offices and some of the halls where Kingsley hosted functions.

“Hey there, red. Ready for another riveting day of looking pretty?”Peter’s shoes slapped down on the hallway floor just behind her right shoulder. She didn’t start at all.

“I do much more than look pretty, camera boy.” MJ retorted. Peter hurried a step ahead of her and held the door for her as they entered studio. A few other photographers, a technician, the girl who got people coffees and Lily Hollister were already there. Peter’s eyes widened as he watched Lily hide her undress strategically from the camera. MJ wished she could have just rolled her eyes at Peter’s teenaged reaction but the truth was her cheeks were turning slightly red.

“Yes! Perfect! This time with a bit more anger! You’re furious! Menacing!” The photographer barked and ordered as he rotated around Lily clicking pictures. Peter and MJ moved ahead, she heading to the dressing rooms and he heading over to the main office where he would pick up his shooting schedule.

“Good afternoon, Mr Kingsley.” Peter pushed into the office. He had tracked down the fashion mogul and was not surprised to find him here. “Where’s Ms--”

“Desiree is no longer with the company,” Jason answered preventing Peter from further interrupting his boss. Roderick continued clicking through the laptop that was on the desk. “Your assignment and notes are the counter.”

“Thank you.” Peter expressed. He was feeling like a coiled spring. His osberry suggested Belly was only a few minutes out. So long as Kingsley remained here he could wait for her like a spider in its web. Peter stepped over to the aforementioned counter and sfted through the handful of file folders until he found the one with his name stickered to it. He turned to the door just as Kingsley closed the laptop’s lid.

“Excellent, we’ll continue on to the dinner.” Peter heard as he was moving through the doorway. Dammit! Now his perfect little plan was ruined. He’d better hurry and get out of there before--

“Hey, tiger. It’s me and you next, c’mon. You can ogle Lily after you act like a professional.” MJ scooped up his right arm. She was leading him to the second stage. A cubical of lighting equipment and false office furniture.

“You’re wearing that?” Peter asked. She was still dressed in the pink t-shirt and hip hugging jeans she had worn to school that day.

“No, just waiting on the makeup guy. Figured you’d want to get your white levels set.”

“We should probably wait until you’re dressed as you’re going to be.” Peter struggled over as he kept looking towards the door.

“What’s wrong?” MJ asked, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“Expecting someone.” He guessed.

“Peter…” She grumbled, her green eyes growing cross.

“It’s nothing. But--”

The door slammed open and a heavier black man in his security uniform pushed into the studio. He grabbed his shoulder mounted radio and said, “East wing clear.”

“What’s going on?” Was the consensus of the studio employees. MJ looked to Peter; everyone else looked to the security guard.

“Remain calm. There has been a terrorist attack. The assailant is using gas. We are going to evacuate in a calm manner through--”

“Terrorist! Here! Gas!” The boiling panic threatened to overstep the security guard’s instructions.

Peter avoided the wrenching pinch to his upper arm. MJ grabbed his hand. She hissed: “We’re getting out of here. We are.”

“Look! I can help! it’s what I do.”

“They’re using gas, Peter! Last I saw Spidey doesn’t come with a gas mask.” The employees were being shepherded into a single file line towards the back door.

“She’s using neo-atropine. We use it at ESU, I know how to deal with it.” Peter said calmly. “People are going to get hurt, but the very least Spider-man can do is tell them what they’re dealing with.” Peter grabbed MJ’s hand and looked her in the eyes. “And what if Harry or Gwen are here?”

She saw it and realized this wasn’t for the first time. The thing that made Peter Parker Spider-man. She saw the weight of responsibility. She saw the need and power that he followed into fight after crazy fight. She even saw the parts that scared her, nearly tortured her with worry. He was excited. He was going to enjoy himself but that was nothing compared to the darkness that propelled him. She frowned, had to look away.

“Good luck. Go. I’ll make sure things are OK for you.”

In the rush through the back hallways towards the east parking lots of Oscorp, Peter Parker faded away from the group. Lily was running, in high heels, a matching thong and a white robe. MJ was right next to her, worried she might trip or collapse in those heels. Lily was cool and collected. Sunlight greeted them through the emergency exit doors.

“Is everyone OK? Do we have everybody?” The security guard asked as they pushed out into the air.

“Ohmigod! We lost Peter! He was right with me and MJ.” Lily shouted twisting around. MJ’s hand laid on Lily’s arm, calming her down.

“Peter’s a reporter. I think he’s trying for the exclusive.” MJ felt the lie come to her with no trouble. That scared her more than anything she had ever done. She looked back to the building. Peter would be OK.

“I am so getting fired.” The security guard moaned.

** ** ** ** ** **

The second hall was set up with industrial white tablecloth decor. Girdered beams held up a windowed ceiling. There was no raised dais, no podium, this was one of the few rooms in which there was no designated position for a king. Kingsley believed it had not been used very often by Norman Osborn.

This dinner was a strategic move on Kingsley’s behalf. He was feeding shareholders and chairpersons. In an individual one on one setting he would have gone with decades old wine and lobsters the size of house cats. En masse he was telling them, what I do for you I can’t do for everyone. Plus it showed the effective, industrial side of Oscorp. Even if the decor was utilitarian he didn’t skimp on the food. An army of servers and cooks made sure no one was offended by being served second. Kingsley walked to the fore of the room. His own food set up with members of his board of directors sharing his table and facing the gathered figures.

“I am so glad each and every one of you made it out here tonight.” He began. Jason faded into the background a few paces behind his right shoulder. “I hope you all enjoy this meal. I am looking forward, as you all are I am sure, to what we have in store today. I’m sure we all know why we’ve come here today.”

“No, Roddy, I’m afraid they don’t know.” The woman in the long purple coat and broad flowered hat didn’t have the benefit of Kingsley’s microphone but her voice carried throughout the small hallway the same. Jason swiftly reached into his jacket for his gun. The first of Belladonna’s toughs was ready. A canister spewing orange gas collided with his chest, knocking him down. Kingsley jumped forward, colliding his hip with the table. Emergency lights and an alarm started sounding over head. Toughs appeared at each of the exits, all with gas grenade launchers. The invitees started panicking. Each face was covered in a dark bandanna.

“We were so rudely interrupted last time.” Belladonna hissed. She left her muscle by the door. She was clearly a symbol of fear. Even the hysterical guests that were rushing for the exits gave her a wide berth. Several more gas grenades flew out and clattered amongst the tables. Kingsley growled, his eyes watering and his nose twitching wanting to sneeze but for the cough in his throat. “This time I promise we can have our last dance.”

“You’re a dead woman.” Kingsley wheezed gripping the table’s edge to keep his feet and his pride. Belladonna laughed. The haze of orange smoke obscured but didn’t conceal. She lifted her pistol and fired it’s gas pellet round down where Jason slowly moved. The crack of a real pistol followed. The bullet flying harmlessly away from the action.

“No Roddy, I have quite a bit of life left to live.”

“Twenty five years to life left to live.” The jocular voice taunted.

“No! How can you be here!” Belladonna twisted. she hurried turning left and right looking for the Spider-man. The wide brim of her hat truncated most of the ceiling. She didn’t see him. Didn’t see the bottle of white vinegar reeled up from one of the waitress’s carts. “If you see him, shoot him!”

“She ain’t said nuthin’ bout dealing with the webhead!”

“Ah, crap, I knew my luck had run out.”

“Shut yer faces.” Growled the henchman who had entered with Belladonna. “This don’t change a thing. We take him out and--”

“No need to take me out, there’s great food right here.” Spider-man interrupted the meat wall by catching him in a web and securing him over the door. Spider-man rushed aside through the gas.

“I’m out of here. Crazy bitch can do this herself.”

“I paid you good money.” Belladonna hissed firing her gas pellets at shadows. The air fogged deeper.

“Yeah, well keep my second half.” Said another good the door crashing open behind him. He made a dash and found his ankles tied up a few feet out the door. He crashed to the ground as the door swung shut behind him. Many of the guests were staggering, but still moving forward and they chased him through the doors.

“You idiots he’s just one man!” Belladonna shrieked.

“Just one Spider-man.” Corrected the disembodied voice.

“Hey! Don’t! What’re ya--” The rest of the last man’s shouts were garbles of nonsense. No words making it through the haze.

“Alright, take your time, Spider-man.” Laughed Belladonna. “I bet you’re feeling just peachy by now.”

“I feel great. I want to thank you for staying on theme, Belly. Neo-atropine, derivative of the belladonna’s toxin. Did you know that belladonna has a very easily acquired counter agent?" Spider-man walked through the smoke. Appearing, in the haze before Belladonna. His feet moving in single file across the overhanging girders. "Just a little vinegar is all you need. Of course, it’s a hell of a smell to soak a mask in."

The bottle of white vinegar he had lifted from the cart was tossed between his hands. He turned his head and Belladonna followed his gaze.

“No! You won’t!” Belladonna grabbed a steak knife and rushed Roderick Kingsley who was still slumped over on his table. Her wrist was caught by the web and she was dragged kicking and screaming off the floor.

“Hey, the plants are beautiful the way they are, you don’t have to go pruning them.” He grabbed the knife from her hand, kicked the hat off of her head and tugged the pistol out of her coat’s waistband. The teary eyed face of Desiree Vaughn-Pope shrieked at him. Her pistol clattered across the tile floor. With a few more strips of webbing she was stuck to the girder. He slipped his friendly neighborhood Spider-man card above her left ear. “Don’t worry, flower girl. I’ll make sure to the tell the warden you need plenty of light and fresh air to bloom.”

Spider-man rushed up to the skylights, making sure to pull open every window to let the gas billow out, even the glass panes that weren’t supposed to open. The sound of ambulance sirens lining up outside the front gates told him he only had to pass the word onto the paramedics and his job was good as done.

** ** ** ** ** **

“Thanks Captain Stacy.” Peter nodded. He and MJ had been given a personal ride back to Forest Hills in the back of a cop car. Aunt May rushed out of the front door, her face white with terror as she ran up meet the teenagers.

“What happened? Is anyone hurt! What’s going on?” She burbled rapidly.

“The kids are fine.” Stacy overstepped Peter’s response. Peter was scooped up in a tight hug by his aunt. “There was an incident at Oscorp. The studio where Peter and MJ were working was completely ignored. I just offered them a ride home after the fracas.”

“Oh my God!” May gasped. “Was Harry or--”

“No, they weren’t there.”

“Spider-man! Was Spider-man there?”

MJ looked away and Peter pulled away from the hug. MJ stated: “Yes he was.”

“And you went after him didn’t you?” May was shaking.

“I--”

“No,” MJ interrupted Peter. “When things got bad he stayed with me and made sure I was OK.” A bald faced lie and Peter’s heart went out for MJ. He had felt the guilty stab that each one of those left inside you. His insides felt even icier to have someone else lying for him.

“Your boy’s a hero.” Stacy agreed. “I wish all teenagers had that much sense in their heads.”

“Thank you MJ.” May pulled her into a hug. Anna was hurrying over from next door. “If you weren’t there I don’t think I’d have been able to trust Peter.”

Stacy watched the aunts and their teenagers for a moment longer. The flat frown on his lips spoke volumes and cut right into Peter’s soul.

** ** ** ** ** **

"This is unacceptable!" Roderick Kingsley was furious. The EMT had left Jason to hold his own aerosol there were others who needed more immediate attention.

"No one was hurt. Spider-man managed--"

"It is not OK to let some smart mouth vigilante expose our asses every time some fool wants to suit up and take a swing at me. No, more drastic measures must be taken."

"Sir, you can't mean... Of course you do. You're aware that no one has managed to do this and remain on top." Jason took a deep breath into the rubber mask.

"No one was prepared for victory," Roderick fisted his hands as he paced. "We'll leave nothing to chance. This can be done right, it has just been waiting for the right man to come and do it."

"I'm skeptical," Jason admitted. "Tombstone was successful forever and a day until Spider-man."

"Lincoln was a hack," Kingsley snarled, "I master empires. I can take the rough from anyone and make it gleam like gold. Why settle with Oscorp? Why stop at anything? Rhino, Sable, Spider Slayer, Belladonna. They all have marked me. If they want me at their table, I intend to win. Besides brains and resources I have one thing desperately needed to rule this world."

"What's that, sir?" Jason raised his eyebrow.

"Preparedness for Spider-man." His grin haunted his face.

"Oh God, Roddy," Jason held his tongue as Lily ran up and encircled Kingsley in a tight embrace. Her dark skin seemed pale and her mascara had run. She was breathing shallowly. "You're not hurt."

"No, not hurt," He held the back of her head in his hand. He exchanged a silent decision with Jason. "But sometimes one needs to be burned to learn the lesson."

** ** ** ** ** **

Next Law 309 - Double Jeopardy


	2. 309 Repeat Offenders

309 Repeat Offenders

 

"They're saying it's your fault." Jenkins told Manfredi. "Your inclusion of a supervillain led to this."

 

"They'd be wise to keep their mouths shut." The platinum blonde replied. The back window rolled up. "Reports are less than explicit. Jack doesn't know the meaning of subtlety. I have another theory"

 

"Goblin is dead."

 

"Yes." Sable sneered. She looked back through the tinted glass. The firefighters were doing quick work containing the smouldering ruins of her waterfront warehouse. Her car rejoined traffic unnoticed. It still didn't sit right with her. Jack had been a good little psychopath since Tombstone had been flushed out. He had kept his rampages to armored car robberies and retaliatory strikes. Sable had hoped he would have been smart enough to leave well enough alone. She still believed that. Her crew did not. In the name of saving face, she was going to get nasty. She hadn't smashed pumpkins since Halloween in junior high.

 

***************

 

"Liz made the honor roll. She is so excited. If I don't take her she'll be devastated." Peter had been pleading his case all morning. Liz had kept him up late into the night badgering him about the importance of the Hydra party.

 

"Of course you can, Peter." May smiled over her mug.

 

"It's an all as ages club. There won't be any drinking. She'll never forgive me if I don't make it."

 

"I said yes twice now." May pointed out.

 

"I'm not even going to need uncle Ben's old tux. Liz bought me a shirt as a way to say thank you. I'm supposed to wear that and--"

 

It behooved May to pick up one of her muffins and shove it directly into Peter's motormouth. He managed to snap out of his babbling when his reflexes nearly encouraged him to wrench May's arm from its socket. Luckily, he didn't even pull at all before he caught himself. He took the muffin with a sheepish smile.

 

"I thought I told you to be honest with these girls, Peter." May looked at him with worried eyes. "It's like you won't take yes for an answer. Well I'm not going to give you an easy way out. It seems like you and Elizabeth need to talk."

 

Peter didn't have a reply. He watched his aunt take the extra muffins to the cookie jar next to the fridge. His thoughts had started to catch up with him but nothing quite formed before his phone rang. "Liz?"

 

"Petey! I'm sorry but I couldn't wait. Did you talk to your aunt yet?"

 

"Uh, Yeah. We're on."

 

The resulting excitation was pitched high enough to wake every dog in all five Boroughs. "Tonight, eight o'clock? "

 

"I don't think I'll make it through these next twelve hours." Liz confessed.

 

"I'll see you tonight." Peter shared no excitement. He cut off her goodbye with a click of his Osberry and sat it face down on the table. His forehead immediately fell beside it.

 

****************

 

"Mornin' LT,  did I ever tell you how good you look in gold? " Sergeant Stan Carter had a bright smile that morning. He carried two steaming cups of coffee. He was still getting used to having a new partner. Vin Gonzales was no Jean deWolff, but the kid was eager. Stan wondered how Al had kept up with him. His old partner was perched behind a half century old desk. She was not wearing anything like a smile. "Two cream no sugar. They didn't have that cream cheese you like so I just skipped the bagels completely."

 

"What the hell are you doing talking to reporters?" The lieutenant tossed the day's Daily Bugle onto her desk.

 

"Uh..." Stan replied in due eloquence. He then gestured forward with the paper wrapped cup.

 

"We do not sanction vigilantes!" She shouted taking her feet. Stan wished he had shut the door when he had come in. He tried to avoid seeing the paper under deWolff's hand. Pumpkin Bombings Kill Four "Worthless Lowlifes" was a pretty damning headline.

 

"C'mon deWolff! Captain gives Spidey a free pass. Nothing I said wasn't true." He pleaded.

 

"You're not the Captain. You are not the only one responsible for the fool words coming out of your fool mouth. The Captain wouldn't be so insensitive as to speak this way of the dead. The Captain would never let anyone think we're supporting the Goddamn Jack o' Lantern! As far as I see things, we are way too lenient on this kind of thing. Going forth, our policy is zero tolerance on vigilantism. We're going to start by taking down Spider-man."

 

"Sure thing, LT." Stan made the mistake of reminding Jean that he had been called in the first place. Her brown eyes steeled on his.

 

"You should be suspended. I've been given leave to do just that." Her calmness was more unsettling than her rage had been. "I'm not going to do that. I know you'll get into even more trouble if you're not being babysat." That comment incited laughter from the bullpen. Stan hardened his jaw and kept his eyes on Jean. "You speak to any reporter again and you're fired. Understood?"

 

"Understood." He asserted.

 

"Good." Carter turned to leave. "When you come by tomorrow, you'll bring the bagel."

 

**************

 

"He needs to be sedated. Please. He's in pain." Dr Ashley Kafka looked up from the gurney. Her hand resting on John's shoulder. It clearly wasn't as soothing a gesture as he seemed to need. The Air Force colonel kicked and thrashed against his restraints. Ashley pleaded with J. Jonah,  her eyes expressing her concern.

 

"We need to keep him sober." Dr Warren 's voice belied sympathy. Kafka only heard the dangerous curiosity that bubbled at the bottom of his soul."This is a delicate operation. We need to verify the state of his brain chemistry."

 

"The power! Give me back the power!"

 

"Doctor!" Jameson rushed to his son's side. Ashley was crowded off the patient's  shoulder. The newspaperman pleaded with her. "How can we make him more comfortable?"

 

"Without sedation--" She met Warren's eyes and changed tack.  "We'll .secure his jaw so he doesn't bite his tongue off."

 

"Thank you, doctor." Warren's gratitude was a sour reward. Kafka sorted her medical tools. Jameson brushed his son's forehead. Sweat was soaking through his straightjacket. The padded leather restraints creaked and pulled under tension.

 

"This well help him won't it? Because God have mercy on you if this is some --"

 

"I assure you Mr Jameson, this is the best hope for your son. " Warren laid a hand above Jameson's elbow. "Everyone here is doing their very best to give your son back the life such a brave young man deserves."

 

"We're ready," Debra wheeled in a table full of syringes and instruments. Ashley looked to Debra but found no emotional compatriot. John struggled against his muzzle. His father kissed his son on the forehead.

 

"My eyes are on you." Jameson turned towards Miles. He resisted a moment before allowing Debra to lead him from the room.

 

Kafka oversaw the precision team that Warren and Whitman made. After two quick blood samples and one cerebrospinal fluid sample, the pair started on their supposed cure. Kafka had read the papers and agreed with much of the abstract. She felt this was foolhardy and impatient. Grafting mammalian DNA onto human should be decades of trials away from such a test. She tried not to grind her teeth too loudly. She doubted J Jonah Jameson would have noticed an earthquake at the moment.

 

"The treatment is prepared. Sample is lupine focusing on strength and familial bonds." Warren spoke for the recorder. Debra applied an arc to the sample. "Electrolyzed. Administering treatment."

 

"Is it happening? What's happening?" Jameson gripped the railing as he looked down into the theatre. His son rolled and thrashed in his bonds. Warren had stepped back after injecting the serum into John's forearm. Debra had needed no cue to stay back. They gave no passing look to Jameson's conniptions. Slowly, minutes ticking near the hour, John began to settle. Kafka rushed ahead of Warren. She leaned over the patient. His eyes showed lucidity. He was patiently waiting to be released. For a moment, she thought of Warren as a miracle worker. She was working off the mouth restraints when the father pushed against the son.

 

"John! How do you feel?" Kafka had a smile for the man who steamrolled her.

 

"Do you think we could get a table at Luigi's? I could really go for that steak." The collision of a hug guarded the scientists from seeing a father shed tears for his son. Kafka turned to offer congratulations to Warren. She saw his back disappear into his office. She decided to offer her hand to Debra. They set to cleaning the lab.

 

"The preliminaries look good, Miles."

 

"Of course they do." Dr Warren was impatient. "All I need is your specifications and we'll be ready to proceed."

 

"Time is of the essence, but we will not be moving ahead recklessly. I will monitor Jameson for the time being."

 

"This lack of faith insulting, Michael."

 

"I would expect no less of you. We're men of science, not men of faith."

 

"Very well." Dr Warren agreed. "I will require the retainer nonetheless."

 

"Now this is the man I can trust. The money will be transferred by the end of the day."

 

"There is one way by which I can assuage your hesitations." Dr Warren suggested.

 

"Jameson is not a man you want to upset." Michael reminded.

 

"This will assure him the procedure is foolproof." Dr Warren shrugged. "A few hours of turmoil will be fine. I will begin the trial when the money transfer has completed."

 

"Very well. I hope for both of our sakes you're as successful as your confidence suggests." Michael fell into a coughing fit into his red handkerchief. He took a moment longer to compose himself. "Good day, Miles."

 

"Farewell, Michael."

 

***************

 

Hydra occupied the first two basements of its Midtown home. Gwen had never felt so out of place standing in line. She was sheltered under Harry's arm while he chatted and bragged with Kenny. The few attempts Glory had made at conversation had died between the teenaged girls.

 

"Rand and Sally are already inside." Glory looked up from her phone. "Flash is on his way."

 

"Any word on MJ? " Gwen asked. She wasn't certain if she was too afraid of asking about Liz and Peter or that she wanted to keep him from her thoughts.

 

"Just that she's fashionable but not late." The redhead seemed to materialize out of the crowd. Her green eyes turned to Gwen's new dress. "Wow, Gwen!"

 

"I know," Harry and Glory agreed. The quiet blonde was wearing a red dress. The skirt floated in waves at her knees. The front was conservatively cut, yet accented her figure more than anything she had worn before. Her arms and shoulders were bare except for the rose corsage on her left wrist. Her cheeks were mimicking the hue of her dress. Her flat sandals, though lovely, didn't quite complete the dress.

 

"I particularly like her accessory." Glory referred to the boy attached to the blonde. Harry matched his date with his full on tuxedo with a millionaire's smile. His arm never left Gwen's shoulders or hips. Mary Jane saw the dimness in Gwen's eyes and held back her praise.

 

"Yeah who says money can't buy you love?" Kenny laughed. The immediate scowl on Glory's face told him how poorly he picked his words. He still remembered the fall formal and how Glory had picked Harry until Kenny had properly apologized and had won her back. That plus the championship they had lost from Harry's drug use. Kenny harbored hard feelings.

 

"What the hell are we doing waiting in line."  MJ defused Glory's imminent rant. "You've got a billionaire and supermodel in the party. The bouncer isn't going to stop us."

 

"Isn't that a little unfair?" Gwen asked.

 

"Absolutely!" MJ beamed.

 

"Lead the way!" Kenny prompted and pushed Glory by the small of her back after the redhead. Harry's fingers laced with Gwen. The smile she returned was excited and genuine.  That's what scared her the most.

 

****************

 

Silver Sable grinned in full kit. Her ponytail whipped through the pall of smoke as she fell back. Her knees were slightly spread, gripping the metal railing of the catwalk. Her eyeblack boxed the sights of her weapon. The trigger compressed. The hammer fell. The charges detonated. Bladed staples raced from the muzzle. Her whooping laugh sang harmony with pumpkin screams.  She kicked her legs free continuing her flip to the lot below. Fire lanced through what could have been her head.

 

"You're getting slow Jackie Boy!" She taunted from her one knee crouch.

 

"You are one ungrateful bitch." Jack's pogo like glider cast sparks from the rail where Sable had so recently dangled. "I had a place for a woman like you! You could have been my queen when I conquered this city."

 

Sable's lip cocked in disgust. Her Wild Pack took beads on Jack. Gunfire erupted, suppressing an immediate response and drawing actual fire. She kicked into a run, grabbing a hanging chain in her left hand as she gathered speed. "Sorry, Jacky Boy,  I have a rule not to get in bed with anybody green." His glider kicked up. Her staple missed his knee but sheared the bottom of the rocket. A blast of exhaust squealed. Jack was thrown clear. Sable's chain was taut and pulled her into the air, swinging back into the fight in a circular pendulum. Jack hit the concrete. His armor kept him from getting torn up as he skidded a couple more feet.  Sable released the chain and landed on Jack's supine body. Her shin guards and combat boots squeezed together on his hips. Her staple gun pointed to his bright flaming helmet. "Or, you know, psychotic."

 

Jack managed to grab Sable's vest above her breasts. He yanked forward as she pulled the trigger. Part of his helmet burst. Sable cartwheeled, but his grip was good. Her long platinum hair scythed through the flames as she pitched over him. The cracking of gunfire drowned under the shriek of pumpkins.

 

"Too little too late," Sable spun as she skidded the to a halt. The staple gun kicked against her shoulder, bruising her bruises. Jack's eye narrowed through the coughing flames left of his battered helmet. Weaving avoided the first and final staples. The second punched into his armored forearm and the third caught his retaliatory grenade mid flight. Sable and Jack were thrown back from each other. Sable slammed into a crate that splintered and dumped its straw and handguns over her shoulders.

 

"Captain!" Her soldier shouted to her.

 

"I'm fine! " she spat humiliated for drawing the sympathy in the middle of the stand off. Green fire and screams ringed the warehouse.  Jack's flames towered over get. Sable tugged her shoulder strap. There was no heft. Her weapon was gone. She didn't scream. She just looked up pissed.

 

"Ms Manfredi!" Came the call again.

 

"I'm--" Jack 's boot ended her reply. He grabbed her again by the chest and yanked her to her feet.

 

"Your goon is trying to tell you those aren't my bombs!" Jack growled. He whipped Sable around. She saw the muzzle flashes of her men disappear in sequence. Each fighter vanished in a flash and a scream.

 

"What?" Sable watched the shadow materialize. He was dead. She had watched them bury Osborn.

 

"Haa hahaha![1]" Bellowed the Goblin. The smoke parted and he was there.  He was darker than the Green Goblin. The natural orange yellow of his Kevlar mask grinned madly under a torn burgundy cloak. He crouched on his glider. He raised his left fist. Three pumpkin blades gleamed in the firelight. "You're dressed to kill tonight, Ms Manfredi."

 

"You have no idea." Sable gathered her shoulders and every ounce of confidence she could. "But I think it's time you found out."

 

"No, this copycat is my victim." Jack thrust Sable aside. He brought his flame thrower to bear.  The spark from the newcomer’s index finger seared black into Jack's breastplate. Jack flew backward off his feet.

 

"You're calling me a copycat?" The Goblin laughed with manic glee. "You're nothing but a drunk at karaoke. I'm Johnny Cash. This is my song now."

 

****************

 

Sweat beaded on her goosebumped skin. Single drops curled through her cleavage.  Rivulets slunk down the edge of her spine. Betty pulled on her bangs. A mist atomized in front of her shut eyes. Her lips shined with gloss and saliva. She breathed, sighs catching on the tongue that lagged out across her teeth.

 

Ned held her by the hips. He bounced her up and down.  She rolled herself around on his dick. Her fingernails marked his torso from nipple to navel.

 

"Ned..." Betty whimpered. Her body rocked in motion and flinched in spasms. She was near, pressure was building in her sex, in her veins, in her mind and in her eyes. It was a near perfect moment. Ned twisted under her, almost precognitively to his phone ringing.

 

"Don't answer it!" Betty stopped against her body's demands. Ned had the nerve to smirk at her. 

 

"Robbie?" He answered. The reply was long but didn't carry to Betty.  After a couple seconds Ned sat up. Betty was still impaled and aghast. She started hearing Robbie's voice through the small speaker.

 

"--ship in the East River. Sources say its Jack. Can you get there?"

 

"Consider me already on my way." Ned bubbled excitement.

 

"Ned!" Betty hissed silently. Ned just kissed her as he picked her off his lap. She flopped onto the bed as Robbie shared the last of the details. "Excellent, I'll be there in a New York minute."

 

"You'll never believe it. Foswell thinks it's Manfredi, but we know it's Jack so I got first bite. "

 

"You're seriously expecting me to be excited right now?"

 

"Of course," Ned had pulled on his pants and slipped into a t-shirt. "You're the best."

 

"At l least one of us is." She mumbled as he hurried out the bedroom door.

 

Betty sighed, she was cooling down. The roof was boring to watch. The sex had been good but now all she felt was three kinds of empty. Her fingers started circling her sex. If she wanted to spend yet another night alone in bed, she should have stayed home. At least there she had her  vibrator and fan stories about being webbed up and dominated by her hero. Well, if Ned was going to ditch her for a costumed man, why shouldn't she?

 

Betty's eyes drifted shut as the black suited Spider man slipped in through the window. Her lips curled in a smile. The bedsprings were an orchestra her hips conducted. She was quickly murmuring and panting as he mounted her.

 

***************

 

Peter was only twenty minutes late. He had managed to wrinkle and misbutton his new shirt. New York's finest had a web wrapped gift waiting for them. He ran his hand through his recently neat hair. He had forgotten the flowers. Liz greeted him with a smile and a kiss. Her purple dress hugged from the swell of her breasts to the tips of her thighs. Peter's tongue nearly collided with his shoes.

 

"C'mon Petey," Liz led him by the hand towards the elevator. "You have all night to drool over me. I can't have you worn out yet."

 

The cab was then caught in traffic. The line into Hydra was brutal. Their friends had been in and partying for nearly an hour before Peter and Liz reached the doorman. Liz almost wished she had another hour to be struck in transit with Peter. The first thing they saw through the light show and smoke machines, was Gwen Stacy. The blonde was sandwiched between Harry and MJ. The band geek had the brains, the rhythm and the body. Liz tugged Peter to the left. She had intended to pull him straight onto the dance door. Right now, it was far too crowded.

 

"Lizzie!" Sally shouted. Her shriek managed to cut through the overbearing music. The tiny cheerleader was still swallowed in the crowd despite her three inches of heel. Liz scanned the crowd. It was Peter who saw Sally and pulled his date to the big table.

 

"Sally," the two girls met with a hug.  "I love this dress! You look like such a slut!" Sally was in pink, the cut of her neck almost to her navel. Her pert breasts squeezed and out. Peter noticed them a third time.

 

"You're the hot one." Sally retorted. "That shirt is slutty! I’m surprised I can’t see your underwear."

 

"Maybe there’s nothing to see." Liz nearly stopped Peter's heart. "I'm surprised you and Rand aren't out on the dance floor. Who is he talking to?"

 

"John something. I can't believe he can ignore this dress." Sally grumbled. Her arms crossing under her breasts almost distracted Peter one more.

 

"John's out of the hospital?" Peter pushed in closer.

 

"Yeah," Sally retreated a little bit when confronted with her own selfishness and Peter’s proximity. The frown on her lips was still partially directed at Rand.

 

"Let Rand catch up with his buddy. Let Petey and me take you out on the dance floor. " Liz picked up her best friend's wrists. Sally gave an unhappy sneer towards Peter. Liz tugged. Sally followed. Peter slogged behind.

 

Hydra was seriously crowded. Midtown’s population was stuffed in passed code and then supplemented with dozens of unrelated party goers. Liz was electric. She ground and distracted and herded Peter by his heart and his hormones. She had been teasing with Sally. Her dance moves eventually revealed the thin material of her thong. Peter found himself having a good time. He couldn’t speak to Liz through the music. Sally just sort of lost herself in the crowd. Sha Shan and Flash circled. MJ tried to steal him for a song but found Glory and Liz immediately winging her and slowly levering her off of Peter.

 

Gwen tried to have fun too. The crowd of them was mixing but it seemed like Peter and she were always at opposite poles of the group. She danced with Kenny, spent half the song with her feet off the floor and her heart struggling with the laughter to escape her throat. She always came back to Harry. 

 

“Do you want to get something to drink Petey?” Liz hollered into his ear. Her black hair was matte with sweat. Her lips glistening as she licked them. Peter was in slightly better shape. 

 

“Totally,” Peter agreed. “I’ll grab some and meet you back at the table.”

 

“What?!” Liz shouted over the music. Peter repeated themselves and was sent off with a kiss. He approached the bar but was pushed back a handful of times while girls made their way closer to the barman. 

 

“Having trouble, tiger?” MJ announced her presence by pinching Peter’s butt. His spider sense prepared him but he still jumped anyways.

 

“Just a little.” Peter admitted. In truth he was imagining webbing the entire crowd to the floor so he could walk over them. MJ laughed and put on her model’s pout and poise and the crowd parted. She grabbed a bottle of mineral water and Peter got a few matching bottles and a coke for himself. He turned and finally met eyes with Gwen. She was staggeringly gorgeous in her dress. Peter’s mind began to shut down until she turned from him towards an awkwardly dancing Harry. 

 

“I’m going back out there, tiger.” MJ elbowed him.

 

“Drive safe,” Peter mumbled and hurried back towards his own date. The music was less deafening on the fringes of the club. Peter handed water bottles to Liz and Sally. From the first he received a gracious kiss. From the latter a mumbled thank you. 

 

“John! What’s--John!” Rand shouted into his phone. 

 

“What’s going on? Rand?” Kenny asked but was pushed out of his way by his friend.

 

“Rand Robertson where do you think you’re going!” Sally snapped.

 

“Its John. He’s, I don’t know. Howling. I have to go.” His phone dropped onto the table and Peter’s eyes went wide to see the flash of white fur disappear of the corner of the screen. He could hear Jolly Jonah yelling for his son over the club.

 

“What! Why! What can you do!” Sally begged.

 

“He’s like an older brother to me.” Rand pushed Sally aside with a gentle insistence.

 

“He was undergoing treatment with Dr Warren.” Peter stepped forward. “Maybe we can--”

 

“Not you, Petey!” Liz grabbed his hands. Her brown eyes were pleading but they quickly molded into a sad smile. “If you can help Rand and his friend, you should go.”

 

“Of course,” Peter leaned in and pecked Liz’s lips. “You’re the best.”

 

“I’ll take care of Sally. Go on.”

 

Rand was already far gone ahead of Peter. That seemed to work best for the Spider-man. He was near the door when MJ stopped him.

 

“MJ, what?” Peter stuttered to a halt.

 

“It’s Gwen.” The redhead had a sad smile.

 

“She’s with Harry. He can take care of her.” Peter declared with a sick fatalism.

 

“Tiger, listen--”

 

“No, I’m needed and you know why.” Peter was about to hurry around her but he laid a hand on her shoulder first. “Besides she’s got you here.”

 

“Alright, go.” MJ slumped. “Just be careful.”

 

But her last wish was overshadowed by the bass and the boom. 

 

***************

 

“Is the food here yet?” John was antsy. He had been forcibly on the phone all night. Checking in with his mother, old friends, the Air Force and now finally Rand. He was just glad the kid was in high spirits and still his very cool self. John was starting rumble. He tried to hope it was all his stomach.

 

“Luigi’s cooking it up special for the two of us. Just you me and a couple of bloody shanks of cow. How’s Robbie’s boy doing?” Jonah was grinning like a madman. He had already accosted two waitresses and the head chef over the enormity of the night. John had turned back to the phone encouraging Rand to complete his anecdote about seeing Spider-man fight Venom at school. The astronaut was happy his father was too busy being happy to comment on the topic of discussion.

 

“What’s that smell?” John perked up drawing a huge breath in through his nose. His lips rolled back in a grin. He snapped his head back and forth seeing the patrons picking and talking over their steaming hunks.

 

“My boy, what’s wrong?” Jameson dashed around to the side of the table but John had leapt his phone clattering onto the tabletop. 

 

John turned to his father but all he said was garbled into barks and snaps. His blond hair was starting to whiten. Muscle rippled beneath his army jacket. His fingernails began to edge into blades. Then the transformation turned violent. His eyes bright and yellowing flashed to the kitchen doors opening where the waitress was appearing with his food. John's head flipped back. Roaring and howling, his jaw and mouth extended becoming a snout. Slobber shined on his dagger like teeth. He leapt. The waitress screamed. Her tray clattered to the floor. He dove and began tearing into the meat.

 

"What are we dealing with?" Sergeant Stan Carter arrived on scene with Officer Vin Gonzales. His colleagues had cordoned off Luigi's. SWAT was in the process of positioning snipers on surrounding rooftops. A young woman was crying hysterically while paramedics looked over in the back of an ambulance.

 

"You!" Stan turned to see Jameson thundering towards him. He sighed, prepared to shrug off the newspaperman and deal with his own. Jameson would not be stopped. "Call off your trigger happy men! That's my son in there and I'll not see him shot down and killed."

 

"Probably just make him angry." Stan tried to step around Jameson to see the white furred beast man scavenging at each table.

 

"Besides, there's no budget for silver bullets." Gonzales quipped and turned Jameson right towards him. His semi-smirk collapsed as all cylinders fired on Jameson's pure directed rage.

 

"What are our options?" Stan abandoned his new partner and turned towards the others present.

 

"We could try firing the gas canisters through the windows." The riot geared SWAT commander suggest. "If they can take down The Rhino..."

 

"Any taxpayers left inside?"

 

"We've been given the all clear."

 

"Alright," Stan scanned the scene. He was the highest ranking officer present. "Do it."

 

The windows cracked around small holes as the four gas launchers blasted the charges into the restaurant. The wolf inside growled when one of the spinning gas bombs collided with his head. He was fast, the window left of the door shattered outward. John Jameson was rushing and screeching and decidedly no longer within the cloud of tranquilizer.

 

A couple of officers brought their sidearms to bear. Stan was not quick enough to stop it he could just see the shit storm forming in front of him. The crack of pistols firing was a fraction of a heartbeat. The bullets sparked against and ricocheted harmlessly off the door panels of a police cruiser.

 

"Bad dog!" Spider-man had shouted. He had collided feet first into the ribs of John. The monster tumbled out of the line of fire and Spider-man had rebounded backwards. "Now, stay! Play dead!"

 

The commands didn't have their desired effects. John swiveled up and rushed Spider-man.

 

"Whoa, Wolfman!" Spider-man was surprised at the speed of his opponent. He was about make a comment on the not insignificant part of his budget that went into maintaining and all too often replacing his uniform.

 

"My son is not the wolfman!" J Jonah yelled, two officers physically restraining him, "He is a real American hero. He is first and foremost a man!"

 

"Fine!" Spider-man ducked under a vicious claw swipe. He flexed his arm and hooked under John's armpit. "Whoa Man Wolf! Don't you know these--"

 

The quip was discontinued as Spider-man bellowed. Claws raked across his chest while he slammed Man Wolf into the pavement with a straight hip toss. The hero skidded back to prevent all the flesh from being torn from his ribs. The spider on his chest was quadrisected, hanging from his body in flaps.

 

"And I was this close to telling him to play nice." Spider-man flashed out his webs to tie Man Wolf to the floor. "There's a good boy."

 

Man Wolf tried to rip his arm out of the web but he was stuck. Spider-man had to do a double take. The speed he witnessed and months of watching supervillains tear his webbs like flypaper had told Spider-man that he should need to empty both cartridges over John. His happy surprise gave Man Wolf enough time to twist and shred the webs with his free claw.

 

The next few webshots missed as Man Wolf tore over the top of a police car and banked a corner. Spider-man lashed out a line and tensed to jump away and after the new villain.

 

"You really need to keep him on a leash, picklepuss."

 

J Jonah's apoplexy exploded as Spider-man swung after Man Wolf. The Wolf was fast. A hot dog cart overturned. A cyclist shrieked as she swerved into a cluster of panicking middle schoolers. Claw marks appeared with chalkboard shrieks as Man Wolf raced a madly unplanned path towards Central Park.

 

It took several blocks to catch up. He swung over car wrecks and debris scattered by New Yorkers doing whatever they could to get out Man Wolf’s way. The distance closed. Spider-man dropped out of the sky in a vicious dropkick across snout. The white furred beast somersaulted hard across lawn and dirt. The tumbled ended by slamming into a tree.

 

"That’s enough of a walk. Time you learned to stay." Spider-man squared off. He made sure to stem the opportunities to flee left and right with webbing.  

 

It only left Man Wolf the option to go for the throat. The fight began hard. Spider-man swayed back from a slash and managed to connect with an uppercut. The punch left him open and fangs crunched down on his shoulder. The hero threw the beast to the ground and scored a kick to the edge of his thigh. Man Wolf pressed the attack. Two claws ripped through newly empty air. Spider-man slapped both palms down on Man Wolf's shoulders. His Spider powers allowed the grip to keep. He twisted, throwing Man wolf bodily back into the tree. Webs chased the spiralling Man Wolf.

 

"Now we just need to get you muzzled." Spider-man declared using more webs to secure Man Wolf's criss crossed wrists to an overhanging limb.

 

"At least I know you're not strong enough to rip the webbing." The wooden crack preceded the stars orbiting Spider's mask. "Of course, I didn't think about the tree."

 

Spider-man twisted. He needed to get back to his feet. The earth tearing up where Man Wolf's jaws tore up the earth. The fight was back on. Spider-man pirouetted upside down on the palm of his hand. His other hand raised to slash out another blast of webbing at Man Wolf's feet. His spider sense was buzzing madly. He expected the Wolf to pounce. The air before his face burst with gold trimmed green smoke behind pumpkin shrapnel and a hideous scream. Man Wolf yelped and ran madly about the web walled pen. Spider-man was slammed back into the side of a pizza delivery man's scooter.

 

"Jack can't you see I'm playing with Fido. Why don't you--"

 

Peter's eyes widened under his mask. His breath froze inside his lungs. That was the Goblin.

 

***************

 

The ship erupted in a screaming blaze. Silver Sable shouted very unladylike expletives. There was a large enough arsenal in the boat to give her this city. She twisted about, doing as quick a headcount as she could. Grimacing, she nodded. One of her Wild Pack handed her a spare staple gun.

 

"What happened to Jack?" She demanded.

 

"Hopefully he put himself on the bottom of the river." Her lieutenant declared.

 

"Nothing's ever that easy." Sable grimaced as a waterspout burst out of the river. "Fall back."

 

The shadow that blasted out of the water sailed in a shallow arc onto the harborfront. His body armor was bogged down with water. His helmet was cracked broken and leaking gas. His wrist flamethrowers were in working order. He vanished from sight as the ball of fire enveloped him. He staggered forward, pumpkin relit.

 

"We should put him down." The Wild Pack suggested.

 

"No, let freaks deal with freaks." Silver Sable slung her gun over her shoulder. The cackling goblin was still circling overhead.

 

"And what if freaks are not happy with that arrangement?"

 

The question was potent. The Goblin seemed to be toying with Jack. Splashes of green shrieked all around the smashed pumpkin as he sputtered about on his even more erratic glider.

 

"We hit them both with everything we got." Sable turned on her heel and jogged out passed the warehouses. Sable Manfredi wanted this night to be done. Her profits were unsalvageable, Jenkins was waiting and this kind of fight brought arachnid attention.

 

"You think you can just come onto my turf without paying for the privilege." Jack growled as his flaming jets chased behind the new Goblin's contrails.

 

"You think because a couple rats run away when you walk by you own anything?" The Goblin cackled. "You don't know Jack!" He punctuated his joke with four quick zaps from his finger blasters.

 

"You make worse jokes than the webhead." Jack threw a pumpkin bomb as hard as he could. The trigger was soaked from the river and refused to detonate. The Goblin caught it with a mad laugh.

"You're toys are broken. Here you can play with mine."

 

"You're a bad person." Jack could do nothing save to dive for cover off of his damaged glider. Jack hit the pavement on his wrists. He somersaulted away as his grenade was introduced to jet fuel. The blast combined the pumpkin shriek with twisted metal into something properly hellish.

 

"I'd love to stay and finish our delightful repartee but alas, I can't be in two places at once." The Goblin cut a leg, deeply bowing before turning on his rocket glider and slashing deeply into the city. "Now where'd my date get to."

 

"He's coming after us." Jenkins said as she checked her side mirrors. She had curved mirrored strips custom made for their bottoms. It allowed her to look above her car. A lesson learned from Hammerhead being caught by the Green Goblin.

 

"Just what we needed." Sable's men were winged out in two vans. "Shake him loose. Hopefully we can keep him chasing until the rendezvous point."

 

Jenkins never verbally acknowledged an order. She set to work. The streets were clear for New York. Sable radioed her men. She was still in full kit, however her gun was a replacement. She meticulously and swiftly checked it.

 

"Hey Goblin!" Sable mounted the long gun to her shoulder. She was sitting out the door on her rolled down window. Jenkins dodged around a Probe. The heel of Sable's boot dug into the door handle. Assured of her grip, she shouted: "You should have stayed with Jack!"

 

Staples whipped into the sky. The butt hammered the bruise on Silver Sable's shoulder.

The Goblin danced through the ordnance until he pushed aside the gun and was mask to face with the gangster.

 

"Now my dear, is that anyway to make friends?" He attempted to lob a pumpkin bomb in through the window.

 

Jenkins cut the wheel. The swerve bumped the glider into the next lane. The bomb skittered across the pavement. The shriek screamed lower in pitch as the vehicles sped off.

 

"Oh a merry chase! You are oh so much fun."

 

The car careened through traffic. Sable trusted the driver, she had outmanoeuvred assassins, cops and military in the clunkiest of vehicles. Her stomach wasn't showing the same iron will.

 

"Wild Pack report." Silver Sable shouted into static. She slipped rockily into the back seat. Something was jamming her radio. Wherever this guy came from, he was shopping at the very same stores as the last Goblin. Silver Sable looked up as her seatbelt clicked in. "Turn north from here. We can't risk fighting in anywhere as open as Central Park."

 

The Goblin disagreed with her. He walled off the turn off with pumpkin flame and shrapnel. Jenkins managed to slalom for a short drive but a pumpkin found its way into her wheel well. The tires squealed. The pumpkin shrieked. The windows cracked. The women cussed. The vehicle bounced and rolled. Its roof crumpled dangerously up towards Sable's head.

 

The glider hovered down next to the overturned car. The Goblin rapped on the window with his knuckles. "You took off without a word, I was beginning to think I might have offended you."

 

The driver's door burst open with the kick. Jenkins rolled out. Her cap was gone and her blonde hair pulled loose. The pistol in her hands shouted. Crack! Crack! Crack!

 

A bullet resistant vest can fail when shot with a pistol. And even if the bullet is caught the momentum still transfers to the target. Goblin's armor covered more and was quite a bit heavier. The three bullets still managed to stagger the Goblin off his glider.

 

"Not wise," The Goblin snapped. He flashed forward. The next bullet buried into the asphalt. He snatched the pistol from Jenkins' hand with his left and slapped her backhanded across the face with his right. "Not wise at all."

 

"I don't think we want wisdom from some goofball dressed like a cartoon." The staple gun had been damaged in the crash. It wouldn't fire. Silver Sable swung it like a club. The Goblin staggered and the second blow slammed him to the ground.

 

"Ah, the lady finally steps out onto the dance floor." The Goblin laughed as he shot her ankles out with both index fingers.

 

Silver Sable let out a yell and went to the ground. Jenkins tried to stand but another pulse took her between the breasts. Her shoulders and back collided with the side of the car.

 

The howl split the night. The Goblin stepped over Sable's body and began to laugh. The glider's exhaust roared across overhead. The Goblin began fiddling with his wrist controls. "I hate to leave a woman unfinished but it seems there's another party I must attend."

 

The Goblin ran off. Turning a nearby corner and disappearing into the night.

 

"Do you need a medic?" Sirens were starting to overcome the noise of New York.

 

"No, I'm ready to go." Jenkins helped Silver Sable to her feet. "I called for extraction."

 

"Good, we need to regroup." Sable turned towards the sirens. Her eyes flashed wide. Jenkins pulled her out of sight as a massive wolf roared passed.

 

"Stay! Bad dog!" Spider-man shouted as he chased after the beast. "I am such a cat person."

 

Sable and Jenkins watched the two chasing cruisers avoid the overturned car and follow the Spider-man and into Central Park. Sable turned when she felt Jenkins's insistent hand on her elbow. "That's it. I'm becoming an accountant."

 

***************

 

Liz listened to Sally with mirrored impatience. She was ecstatic to be back with Peter but she often felt doubt. The truth was all the things Petey did, all the ways he managed to be late and to disappear, all of these pushed much further under her skin than they had before he had du--before they had broken up.

 

She saw Gwen. Liz wondered what could have frazzled the girl so badly. The blonde ducked and weaved her way towards the dance floor crowd around MJ. Then Liz saw Harry. That smug look. That cocked smile. Liz had never truly appreciated that afterglow grin before. Petey's poor punctuality and need to disappear chafed a lot less knowing that Gwen was giving it up to Harry.

 

"Just run off and leave the two hottest girls in the place. Our boyfriends can suck."

 

"We don't have to stay Sal," Liz turned in their booth seat. "But what else are we going to do. It's not like we could help if we up and chased after the boys."

 

"Well why not?" Sally demanded. "Seems like everyone else gets to see something crazy in this city. Let's go after them."

 

Liz saw flashes of her brother and flames and really wanted to say no. The girls weaved out of the club and collided against the backs of Sha Shan and Flash who were in less of a hurry out the main doors.

 

"Oh, hey girls." Flash grinned as he had one arm around Sha Shan. The asian girl smiled, but forcefully as all of Flash's weight was not on his own legs.

 

"You two are leaving early." Sally immediately grinned broadly as she darted her eyes between them. The four teenagers climbed out the stairs onto the Midtown street.

 

"Loud, disharmonic, cookie cutter music isn't really my scene." Sha Shan commented drily.

 

"Yeah, and with Rand and you two ditching, it’s not going to be much of a party for long." Flash shrugged politically. "Sally and Sha Shan's place are pretty close. Did you want to share a cab?"

 

"No," Liz was abrupt, "We're not heading that way."

 

"Cool, good night girls." Flash beamed as he and Sha Shan moved to flag down a cab.

 

The girls bullied and flirted two groups of teenagers out of the next ride.

 

"Luigi's. It's on--"

 

"Oh, I know where it is. Classy place. This a big night for you two girls." The sketchy yet culturally tolerant cabbie bantered.

 

"No we're on our way to meet boyfriends." Sally corrected politely.

 

The rest of the drive was in staggered silence. they approached the restaurant to find a police barricade. "I hope your boyfriends are OK."

 

Liz paid and tipped the driver as Sally hurried out. Liz nearly fell back into the car. A giant white wolf howled and barrelled passed her.

 

"Oh, hellooo Spider-man." Sally purred watching the blur of red and blue and missing Liz's near collision.

 

"Sally!" Liz was swatting the dirt off of her butt.

 

"I'm just saying," Sally smirked, "Imagine getting your hands on that little Spider butt."

 

***************

 

"That was a glider. He's dead! He's dead!" Spider-man shouted at the New York night. He was frantic. His Spider-sense tingled and was numb. Tooth and nail shredded webbing. Spider-man finally reacted. The air that housed his throat vibrated the bone snapping crunch of closing jaws.

 

"Easy boy." Spider-man wheeled back to square off with Man Wolf. "I'm not dinner."

 

Spider struck Wolf with a lunging straight punch. Claws closed in on Spidey. Blood ran from his shoulders. Man Wolf staggered back. He panted and snapped for air.

 

"No!" Spider-man yelled as he tackled Man Wolf out of the way of a pumpkin bomb. Man Wolf kicked and clawed. Spider-man was punished with concussion and laceration.

 

"I do believe I am making all sorts of new friends tonight." Cackled the Goblin. Spider-man managed to fall onto his back and kick Man Wolf up and into a tree. "Allow me introduce myself Spider-man. I am the Hobgoblin."

 

"Another copy? At least Jack O'Lantern had some of his own flair. Wearing the prom queen's dress doesn't win you her crown." Spider-man had to dive to the left. He brought himself around in a hard turn punching Man Wolf into the dirt.

 

"All dogs on a leash Spider-man. It'd be bad for my reputation if I had to turn crime fighter on you." The Hobgoblin tutted. His hands whipping up. Six pumpkin blades winged out.

 

Spider-man leapt forward twisting through the onslaught. Man Wolf growled and yelped. Spider-man turned, his Spidey sense condemning him to see Man Wolf bleeding. The web hadn't reach the tree to pull Spider-man from his trajectory.

 

Shrieks. Green smoke. A cackling silhouette. If it didn't hurt so much, Spider-man may have panicked. He was hurtled in a twist. Spine collided with tree trunk. The gleaming edge of a pumpkin blade vibrated just above his elbow.

 

"Well, I must admit, Spidey," Hobgoblin floated his glider down to the collapsed hero. The scrape of metal announced the glider's sword like tongue jutting outward. The edge poised against Spider-man's throat. "I had hoped for more of a fight. However, history is written by the victors. I think I'll tell the world that--"

 

The pumpkin bomb he had readied exploded behind him. His unblemished armor was raked and battered.  Wolf jaws grabbed Hobgoblin's face.

 

"Oh, good boy," Spider-man had returned to his feet and aimed his wrists at the brawl. "Hobby, you need to forgive the dog. You look and sound just like a chew toy."

 

The blasts shot Man Wolf up and off of Hobgoblin. Spider-man managed to pepper the villain with webs but the web bullets rebounded harmlessly and he couldn't even pin an arm to a side. Spider-man muttered. "And this is reason seven hundred why I'd rather shoot models."

 

A web bullet lanced towards the Hobgoblin. He spun out of path with a jump. The glider spun out in a perfect arc to meet his landing. Spider-man raced for Hobgoblin but the newcomer just laughed. “Oh, is it cruelty to animals now.”

 

“What?” Spider-man twisted about. Man Wolf was snapping at him. His right eye was covered in impact webbing. “Someone really needs to invest in obedience school.”

 

“Sadly, webhead, I must depart.” Hobgoblin lamented. “My business is just about wrapped up for the evening. Perhaps we can do this again soon. Maybe when you’re not so busy walking the dog.”

 

Hobgoblin’s speech was delivered with wings of spinning blades and punctuated with pumpkin shrieks. Man Wolf was in a blind berserk panic. Spider-man was forced to twist and wrestle and strike in order to keep jaws from his throat. A particularly large pumpkin was tossed as Hobgoblin turned to fly away. Spider-man leapt forward. Wolf nails cracking on the heel of his boot. He caught the Pumpkin as its eyes were flashing. He thwipped out a tracer onto the bottom of the glider. “Sooner than you think Hobby.”

 

Webs lashed out to trees ahead of Spider-man and he cradled the big pumpkin in his slingshot. He aimed for the glider. It was a choice between dodging the incoming Man Wolf or landing a solid hit with his sling. Spider-man hit the ground. The wolf dived over his head. The air above Hobgoblin opened in a pall of green smoke and a blood curdling scream. The noise pollution ate Hobby’s good-bye cackle. The glider was gone when the smoke cleared.

 

“Alright, Rover, play time is over.” Man Wolf was charging away again. Spider-man shot out webs catching hair and dress pants as he attempted to rip Man Wolf backwards and onto the ground. The beast howled, slashing out and snapping with his teeth at the webs. He was tangling himself up worse. Spider-man kept his wrists bent and the webs flowing until the trigger when shhhlllk.

 

“I think I should save the ‘That’s a wrap!’ pun for Mysterio. He’d appreciate it more.” Spider-man hopped towards the balled up snarling creature. The air was beginning to flicker with the blue and red lights of incoming police cruisers.

 

“Grawrder-man! Help me…” The growl collapsed and John’s intelligence began to pool in Man Wolf’s inhuman eyes.

 

“Colonel!” Spider-man rushed down. He had seen the effects of gene cleanser rapidly reasserting Curt Connors’ humanity. John’s restoration was similar but happening in fits and starts. “Are you hurt?”

 

“A little cut and a lot sore.” His enunciation improved as his snout rescinded into a normal human mouth. “How did--”

 

“What are you doing to my son!” Ambulances and police cruisers bracketed rushing paramedics and police officers. Sergeant Carter led the charge. Officer Gonzales was attempting to inhibit Jameson senior from barrelling passed the others. Spider-man grumbled. 

 

“Do you feel like you might Wolf out again?”

 

“No, no I don’t think so.”

 

“Well I’d rather go face to face with a Hobgoblin again than get verbally pummelled by your dad. Looks like Doctor Warren’s coming with the MTs. Get better.” Spider-man spoke as he seated new cartridges into his web shooters.

 

“Thanks Spidey.” John said genuinely. His origami posture in webbing not detracting from his sincerity. “Give ‘em hell.”

 

************

 

Gwen fell back against the closet door effectively shutting out the light. The sound forced itself in. The door rocked under Gwen's shoulders. The bass vibrated the concrete floors. Harry fell upon her. His fingers tangled her hair. Gwen kissed him back.

 

"Oh my God!" Gwen murmured when their lips parted.

 

"You look amazing,  babe." Harry whispered. His hand was so were warm as he pushed the hair back over her ear. It struck Gwen that he was commenting on her looks in the dark. It didn't stop her cheeks from darkening.

 

"Harry, I--"

 

The finger across her lip silenced her. Harry laid a kiss against the shell of her ear. Her knees felt like jello. The hem of her skirt kept swishing as her thighs shivered. He kissed her again. Her breath followed his retreating in a shudder.

 

"We're going to get caught." Gwen hissed out the first words that made sense in her mind. That thought scared her. Peter's hurt face haunted her. Her Dad would lose trust in her. It was so hard. Harry and Peter, it was so easy to hurt both of them.

 

"We'll be fine, " Harry insisted. He laid his kiss just on the edge of her lips. What about her? Couldn't she be happy? Shouldn't she? Harry made it all feel real. She arched upwards. Her body flush against Harry's. He was so strong. Was it the green? He wasn't blacking out, disappearing like Peter. Leaving her. He had given up Liz. She couldn't up Harry. It was easy to see the new confidence in Peter. She had wanted to be that girl for Peter. Now she never could. Her eyes flared open. The room was dark but for some diffuse blue light coming in from the corners.

 

"Babe?" Harry asked. His hand was not for the first time cupping her breast. It was impossible to hide the stiff nipple, the rush of her heart or the quickness of her breath from his touch. He was gentle. He was firm. She felt a tear threaten the corner of her eye. It was not easy. She couldn't keep stopping him here. She hardly even wanted to stop anymore. Her breath hitched. Her fingers shivered as they settled over his. He began kneading the flesh. It was comfortable. It was good. She ached under and from his touch. They kissed again. The song changed. The beat faster. She pulled him to her tighter. She kissed harder. Her leg lifted. She dragged her thigh up Harry's. An unspeakable invitation. Gwen would have collapsed, unleashed her stoppered tears, if she knew how badly she was telling Harry she was ready. The song changed again.

 

"You're incredible, babe." Harry sighed breathlessly.  He smiled adoration as he settled his forehead against hers.  She felt so safe and so far away from everything. Only the dark and Harry in her world. He kissed her. Pressing his lips first to the corner of her lips. He feathered across her cheek. She lifted her jaw. Her head bumped the door. It was just an invisible sound in the swell of the music. It seemed like an explosion to Gwen. Her hairband was pushed forward scattering the hair that she had spent so long on. She lifted Harry off of her with two palms on his chest.

 

"Wow!" He gaped. The sincerity of his breath made Gwen feel more beautiful than she had ever felt. "I love you, Gwendolyn Stacy. Did you want to get back to the party?"

 

"No," she whispered, giving up the truth before it could be contained. She could only see Harry's silhouette. His eyes bore into her. He waited for her. Just waited. She was nervous. She had to chase away the silence before it crushed her chest. "Harry, you're very good to me."

 

"You deserve the best." There was an undertone of strength. Harry declared that he was the best. Gwen still smiled, if sadly. He was so sweet.  He deserved so much. He needed some happiness. She couldn't just stop him from being sad. Hoping that he would get better so she could pitch him like garbage. Running off to another boy who couldn't even wait for her.

 

She squeaked as the fright jolted her. Her fingers alighted on his best buckle. Harry laid a palm in the back of her hand. Encouraging her as she had encouraged him. She kissed him, lightly. The belt opened with a snap she only believed was louder than the club. She felt his pants alluding down the front of her calves. Had they been standing so close?

 

"Babe? You're not moving?"

 

Fear. Not the worst but the most she had ever known. Her throat seized. She swallowed half a breath. Her fingers slid under the waistband of Harry's boxers. He gasped. She was unprepared. Were they supposed to get so big?

 

Harry settled his hand upon her shoulder. Her fingertips circled the shaft. She didn't, wouldn't, couldn't close her fist. She felt his heartbeat in his veins. She allowed him to lead her down to her knees. Her legs had been bending, she was starting to squat. No. She wasn't ready for that. She marvelled, looking up to the blue outline of Harry's features.

 

Straightened, she pushed forward. They were chest to chest; they were cheek to cheek. Her were hand closed. Was that sweat from her on palm? Was it proof she was doing something right? Her wrist obeyed her erratic commands. Harry squeezed her upper arm with his left hand. She rolled her wrist back down. He didn't say anything like a real word.

 

She shrieked. Gwen was totally unprepared for the quantity nor the trajectory of Harry's semen. Her eyes doubled in white but could find not a candle more of light. More slithered and dove over her wrist. She couldn't figure out if she should or had let go. Harry took a first full of her hair. She had never been kissed like that before.

 

"Where's my purse?" Gwen bleated the moment Harry staggered back a happy step. She was on the ground pawing for the pink clutch she had put down minutes before. The zipper did scream over the song. Gwen pulled out Kleenex and Purell.

 

She was frantic. There was gobs of cum invading the lines of her palm. Rivulets ran down from the reservoir in the crook of her elbow to the silver bangle she tore off her wrist. The fourth, fifth and sixth tissues were unnecessary.

 

"Babe?" Asked after she had settled down. She was still sitting down by his feet. He finally pulled his pants back on. "Babe?"

 

"Um..." Gwen wouldn't look up towards Harry, "I think I need to talk with MJ."

 

"Of course. We'll go find her." She twisted up to her get and took off without him. The door closed behind her. He was let in the dark again.

 

Harry smiled. He raised his right hand. His face immediately illuminated. The nightvision on his Osberry was amazing.

 

************

 

Spider-man needed a better way to follow a tracer. With his Osberry webbed to his forearm he darted off into the night. Hobby was quick but circuitous, taking no other obvious path than slightly towards Brooklyn. Spider-man closed the distance. It could have been otherwise, top web speed was markedly less than a rocket glider.

 

"Oh! Lucky day!" The words were only slightly preceded by the tingles. Spider-man cartwheeled off of his line and out of the shrieking path of pumpkin fire. "And here I thought the night was over."

 

"Hobby! When did--how did you?" Though it was soon obvious to Peter that his little tracer had been found. He wondered what bus he had been following over the last twenty minutes.

 

"Not the legendary wit you're known for Spider-man." Hobby tsked. The blasts from the finger lasers began pockmarking up the wall just under Spider-man's rapidly ascending perch.

 

"I didn't expect a call," Spider-man moaned, "You seem like the kind of guy who just leaves his Spider-man and runs."

 

"Don't be like that, hero." Pumpkin shrieked as Spider-man webbed across to Hobgoblin, "I'm always good for a second round."

 

Hobgoblin swayed easily aside from the lunge. Spider-man hit the opposite building and instantly kicked back. He flew over the pair of pumpkin blades. "Good because it's way too early to call it a night."

 

Spider-man landed his blow. He slugged his knee into the center of Hobby's breastplate. The supervillain was tossed from his glider. Spider-man's trick was to web him by the ankle and with his other web shooter grab the first building he had landed on.

 

"I'm an all nighter kind of guy, Spidey. I don't finish this quickly." Hobgoblin laughed as his glider obeyed his remote commands. It flipped in a wide roll spitting a pumpkin bomb at the hero before whipping about in an S. The middle of the S snipped the web off of Hobgoblin's foot and the bottom of the S caught Hobgoblin on his feet.

 

Spider-man leapt out through the cloud of pumpkin bomb. "You promise a big evening, Hobby. But you're already running off."

 

Web over web, Spider-man raced after Hobgoblin. He arced around towers and slapped his feet over roofs. Smoke, contrails and an exhaust of blades formed his breadcrumb path. But the mad laugh centered his radar the best.

 

"Playing follow the leader is not so fun from this side of things." His webs snagged a gargoyle and he whipped himself hard hoping to catch Hobgoblin as he rocketed down towards the street. His spidey sense tingled, "And now I know why."

 

Dozens if not a hundred of pumpkin bombs were waiting for him around the corner. The air shuddered and heaves. Spider-man was thrown about like a sock in a spin cycle. He flopped and bounced until he splatted against the high rise window.

 

"It was a lovely evening, webhead. We'll have to do this again." The cackle sped off overhead, "Real soon."

 

It took a couple moments for Spider-man to sort his thoughts and snag a hold with his webs. He bungeed nearly a half foot from the pavement. A little brunette girl excitedly threw her arms up knocking the groceries from her mother's hands.

 

"What a night." Spider-man picked the webs off of his phone. His jaw was set under his mask. Hobby had said real soon. Spider-man was determined to find him again earlier. Tonight was a bust. At least, Man Wolf was back to good ol' John. Maybe he could still catch up with Liz. His web caught a distant hold and he slingshotted himself back towards Midtown.

 

************

 

Sha Shan leaned in against Flash's shoulder. She let her eyes drift shut. His hand on her upper arm was holding her. She had been against dating him in the beginning. She had only seen the childish and strong headed sides of him back then. Now, upon seeing his character, the man he could be, she was letting herself look at his muscles and smile. She heard the ding and whoosh of the elevator reaching her floor. Flash had to nudge her to get her going.

 

"I had a great time tonight." Flash announced when they reached her door.

 

"Yeah," Sha Shan displayed a soft little smile. "It was an excellent beginning."

 

"Beginning?" Flash didn't follow. Sha Shan pressed her body against his and claimed his lips in a slow burn kiss. She didn't stop until Flash's hands tightened on her hips and she felt the rewards of her interest pressing into her abdomen.  

 

The door clicked open, but she had to pull back a few times from Flash's kiss before she was let go. Sha Shan stepped back from Flash. A mischievous smile formed on her lips. "C'mon quarterback. It's only one more play to the goal."

 

Flash had to hurry back into the hall to retrieve the cane he had dropped. The apartment was a blur. Sha Shan just walked to her room, rolling her hips in a way that drew Flash behind her with a tightening leash. She was silent. Letting her body say the things that died in her throat.  She was perched on her bed when Flash stepped in and closed the door behind her.

 

His eyes travelled up her legs from the black pumps over the blue skirt and breezy top. Her small breasts were thrust out as she leaned back on both palms. Her lips shone as she licked them in nervous preparation. She forced her eyes to be steady when he finally met her interested gaze. She yelped when he thrust forward and dropped her against her comforter.

 

They had made out, more and more often over the last few weeks. Flash had Sha Shan whimpering in just a couple of breaths. He nipped at her lips and kissed along her jaw. Her lips couldn't close as she exhaled heat. He paid attention to her throat. He nipped the nape of her neck. She mumbled. He kissed the rise of her collarbone

 

"My god," she moaned, eyes wide as she watched her ceiling. The room was dark, only diffuse light peeking in through her translucent curtains. She rose on her shoulders, encouraging the hands that closed onto her breasts. Her tongue was held just too tightly by her teeth. "Flash.  Flash.  Eugene?"

 

"Yeah, babe?" he rose up and met her eyes. They kissed again before she responded.

 

"Let me up." She whispered, not even certain the words were audible.

 

"Sure, babe," Flash wore an easy smile as he rolled over and let his girlfriend take her feet.  He scooted up so his knee wasn't dangling off the foot of the bed. He turned his face to Sha Shan and didn't push. He just gave her the moment she had taken.

 

"I want it to be tonight." Her hands couldn't find a place to sit still. She tugged at her skirt, played with her hair and just flexed her fingers at the sides of her hips. "We've got all summer and I want all of it."

 

"That's awesome, Sha Shan," Flash continued waiting. He could see her clearly in the low light and she was building up to something. Her lips kept moving but it seemed her words were done.

 

Sha Shan shimmied out of her top. She let the garment spool and puddle on her floor. Flash grinned and unbuckled his belt. The zip of leather being pulled out of the loops caught Sha Shan like a deer in headlights.

 

"You OK?" Flash asked. He sat up and Sha Shan flashed her bright teeth. The skirt wafted down her legs, settling around her black heels. Flash's eyes stalked to the maroon panties that were damp around her sex.

 

"I'm amazing," She announced. Flash pulled off his shirt. Sha Shan giggled. She approached the bed again. Her shoes clunking to the ground as she climbed up him. Her hands tracing out the muscles of Flash's torso as he guided her lips to his. His fingers were light in her hair but they insisted she fall back with him. He could feel her smile. His right hand brushed her cheek and slid down to her bra.

 

"You are amazing." Flash agreed. She crossed her right leg over his pants. She was straddling his thighs as he cupped the flesh of her breast. Her small tits were capped with stiff nipples. She felt the lace cup pushed aside so he could take the nubs in between his fingers. She moaned, catching his lower lip in her teeth.

 

"You're ready." Flash confirmed with a grin. He was tonguing the inside of his lip, certain she had caused bleeding. She slipped her hands off his body and sat back onto his knees. His hands fell to her belly and she giggled, embarrassment and ticklishness colliding. She unhooked her bra letting it slide down to her elbows before she tossed it towards her skirt and top.

 

She laughed s Flash grabbed a breast and brought it to his mouth while she reached to her nightstand. A teddy bear and a jewelry box tumbled to the carpet while she held onto Flash's blond hair. She had to struggle out of his lips. A sleeve of Durex hung from her fingers.

 

"I don't think we're going to need all of those." Flash laughed.

 

"Coward." Sha Shan taunted.

 

He pulled up from between her thighs and grabbed her waist. "I'm no coward."

 

Sha Shan smiled. "No you're, Flash Thompson," she popped the button on his pants, "Hero," she tugged down the zipper, "Legend."

 

"You better believe it." He grinned and they came together for a light kiss. He shimmied. She tugged. Her fingers pulled his tighty whities along with his dress pants. Soon he was wearing socks and she was wearing her panties. She gasped as his fingers ran down the relief of her pussy. His fingers already pulling back her desire.

 

She tightly held his shoulders. Her breasts pressed tight against his chest. Flash fell backwards. His fingers still threatening her sex and gliding over her thighs. The gusts of breath that came out of Sha Shan were high pitched and uneven. Flash greeted each breath with a kiss.

 

She hadn't look down to see his cock. She could feel it rising into her thigh. Her painted nails had nearly touched him twice. "It's time."

 

"I'm happy." Flash grinned. He picked the waistband of her panties. She had to climb off of him, falling down next to him as he dragged the down her legs. He laid a kiss on her hip and she scritched through his hair. She was naked. His eyes were wide in awe. He dragged his fingers through the trimmed triangle of hair. He brought his slick fingers to his lips. She pushed his shoulder back and climbed back onto her perch.

 

He guided her, eyes meeting eyes. He could see the nervousness in her vacillating smile. Her eyes were unsteady. He held his cock. He held her hips. She had positioned herself on top. Flash had happily given her the control. She floated over his cock. Her right hand flat on his chest, her left hand and teeth unwrapping the condom.

 

"I'll put it on," Flash said taking the sheathe from her fingers. She still hadn't brought her eyes to his cock. She raised her ass a little more so he could manipulate and protect each other. In a couple of seconds, Flash was prepared, body and mind. Sha Shan was a heartbeat behind. He stroked the outside of her thighs. She rolled her fingers about the head of his cock. She began to descend. The first pressure met her sex and she stopped dead.

 

"Take your socks off." She half panicked. Flash pulled them off with his toes as he stroked her cheek. She was breathing heavy and fast. Her eyes closed slowly and then flashed back open. Her sex began to part for his dick.

 

"Oh. Oh oh ohohoh!" Sha Shan exclaimed as his cock began to penetrate. Flash hushed her and took her hand into his. She met his eyes and squeezed hard on his fingers. Suddenly, there was interference in her slow descent. She hissed. Her eyes crossed and closed. Flash opened his mouth to speak but Sha Shan rallied every ounce of determination she had. Her hips met Flash's and she shrieked.

 

"How does it feel?" Flash sat up and held her.

 

"It's ahhh..." She breathed and relaxed backwards. Her weight shifted and she pressed back on Flash's knee. It was his turn to call out.

 

"Are you OK?" Sha Shan worried as her breath caught up to her. She pushed back forward and was soon laying chest to chest with a smiling Flash.

 

"I'm spectacular." He kissed her.

 

"You are spectacular!" Sha Shan garbled. Her hips rolled on his lap. The feeling inside her was far more intense than she had prepared for. Sex in porn, the little she had seen, was always intimidatingly hard and fast. She couldn't imagine moving like that. The measured intimate connection they shared felt very intense.

 

They moved with sureness. Breaths and sighs permeated the darkness. Sweat beaded on tight skin. Sha Shan tightly knotted her bedspread in fingers. Flash was squeezing her ass tightly. It was beginning to hurt.

 

Their bodies moved in a steady rhythm. Her body was tight under its skin. Muscles taut and every sensation was hard and extreme. Her ankles squeezed the flesh of Flash's ass and forced his knees to rise off the bed. She was rising high. Rolling up and down the entire length of his cock for every pass. He pushed pulled her by the side and ass. She pushed her breasts against his lips and was kissed for every pass. Sha Shan held him tightly. He groaned long and hard.

 

"Eugene," she whispered into his ear, "I love you."

 

"Yes," he panted. His jaw was tight and his eyes were closed. He strained fighting pleasure. Losing. A new liquid heat rolled out inside her. The warmth muffled and trapped in its sheathe.

 

He slipped down on his back and she pulled off of his cock. Her hand reached back. She saw his cock for the first time as she pulled the filled condom off of him. Her lips twisted in a bright smile. She leaned over the bed and dropped the waste in the bin by her nightstand. Flash pulled her back.  

 

"You didn't come." Flash held her cheeks.

 

"It was my first time," Sha Shan leaned in and kissed her boyfriend. "I just needed to be with you for this. "

 

"Well I'm here when you need me!" He grinned widely and she laughed before she slapped his shoulder. She giggled again before falling next to him.

 

"Why did I have to wait so long for this?" Sha Shan asked the ceiling. Flash tightened his arms around her.

 

"The wait was worth it." He kissed her cheek and she turned to him to bring his lips onto hers. She had something next to say. She could just see the blue in his eyes in her dark room.

 

A rapping came at the door. Both teens scrambled under the covers but the door didn't open. Sha Shan stopped breathing. Flash stroked his girlfriend's hair and wondered, slightly racistly, if her dad knew kung fu.

 

"Sha Shan, dear," Mrs Nguyen enunciated with her definitively American accent. "Its time Eugene went home. Get tidied up and your dad will drive him home."

 

The kids turned to each other, neither believing her mother. If they're hearts had managed to slow, they might have laughed.

 

"Sha Shan," Flash stopped her from getting out of the bed. "I love you too."

 

************

 

"I just don't believe I did that." Gwen wasn't talking above a whisper. MJ had been forced to walk them outside.

 

"You can't let yourself do anything before you're ready, girlfriend." MJ squeezed Gwen's hands. It was a trial to keep her from spending the entire conversation. "If Harry's pushing you--"

 

"That's the thing. I think I'm ready for this." Gwen never sounded more ashamed.

 

"You're clearly conflicted." MJ pointed out. She was feeling uncomfortable. Gwen was looking to Mary Jane for permission. It wasn't that simple. Gwen and Peter loved each other, but weren't together. Harry deserved some true love. Gwen needed to feel love. Liz had laid claim to Peter's love.

 

"I know. It's just... I'm not stopping myself and--"

 

"Oh hey girls, how's the party going?" Gwen jumped nearly out of her dress as Peter appeared out of nowhere.

 

"I think its over now, Tiger." MJ said not taking her eyes off of Gwen until she finished.

 

"I guess I'd better go grab Liz then." Peter sighed as Gwen turned on her heel and raced off to find Harry. "What's up with Gwen?"

 

"She's--" MJ shrugged. "Liz left about an hour ago."

 

"Oh, I guess I should have just swun--headed all the way home." Peter saw Gwen lead Harry back out of Hydra and chase after a taxi. Harry waved to Pete and MJ but Gwen looked straight ahead.

 

"Well want to save me some cab money and give me a swing to Aunt Anna's?" MJ crafted her best moneymaking smile and slipped an arm around Peter's waist.

 

"Try not to scream my ears off this time. I can only take so much shrieking in a given night, Red."

 

"No promises, Tiger." MJ laughed. The pair turned to leave.

 

"Hey, looks like MJ found a guy to take home." Kenny grinned appreciating the redhead from behind. Glory turned and cocked an eyebrow. She took the time to check out her friend's match that Kenny was clearly ignoring. Her lip cocked. Peter gets around.

 

"You can keep looking at her or you can realize my mom's working night shift and I won't have to keep it quiet."

 

"Step aside, Hobes. This taxi's spoken for."

 

************

 

“You said this would help him! You said this would heal him! Look what happened!” J Jonah Jameson ignored all semblance of personal space when he shouted at Dr Miles Warren. The scientist kept a professional look on his face and bore the burden until the newspaperman ran out of lung capacity to keep yelling.

 

“I told you temporary failures were a possible side effect. The nanobots did their job. They caught and reversed the mutation.”

 

“You told me he might have to worry about back hair and an appetite! This turned him into a monster!”

 

“Dad. Calm down, let the man explain.” John looked up from the gurney he sat on. He had submitted a half dozen different blood tests by now and he was feeling the fight all over his body. Warren thanked the Colonel for his calmness but could tell by the impatient look in John’s eyes that he had best be clear and concise.

 

“This failure was catastrophic to say the least.” He held up a hand begging for his intake of breath not to be overrun by Jameson senior. “And I had not expected or predicted anything this bad. However, the nanobots are like antibodies. They learn from use. Nothing of this extent can happen again. I’ve checked and double checked the data. The next flare up should be nothing more than a cold nose and a few white hairs.” He turned to the patient. “How are you feeling now John?”

 

“More worn out than I had ever felt in my life.” He admitted. “I’d prefer just to get to the hospital so they can give me a bit more codeine and set me to bed.”

 

“The triage doctor has given you the all clear. There’s no head trauma and all of your bones seem good. I can write you the prescription for the painkillers right now and send you home to a real bed.” He turned to the older Jameson, “I expect you wouldn’t mind having him in your home tonight. All things look good but if there is any cause get him to the hospital right away.”

 

“Put your name on the script and get out of my sight.” Jameson sneered. He wanted done with Doctor Warren. Two dealings with this man and two monsters had run loose on the city. Worst of all, for the second time in his life Spider-mask had beaten up his son. This time Parker wasn’t even here to document the tragedy. The words with which he planned to cut down the webhead for tomorrow’s front page were venomous. If he didn’t have to take his son home, he might be inclined to march into the office and hammer out the edition.

 

Dr Warren walked away. He didn’t even feel the glare he was getting from the brunette in the crowd. Ashley was in her street clothes. Just a light top and a dark skirt but Miles didn’t see her without the labcoat. She sneered and left the scene. Dr Warren answered his phone.

 

“I see you’ve got to look at the samples.”

 

“They’re clean. I’m impressed. The subroutine that allowed you to instigate the failure will need to be taken out but I can get behind your process.”

 

“Excellent. When will you be ready to begin.”

 

“I’ve had my contacts in touch with Panama to bring the sample we need quite shortly.”

 

“I will make myself available for you when you are prepared.”

 

“Very good, Miles.”

 

“Good night, Michael.” 

 

************

 

“It was a big loss.” Jenkins declared the obvious. She had changed out of her driver’s uniform into a pair of cargo pants and a loose military tank top. Across the suite, Sable was brushing out her shower damp hair wrapped in a fluffy white robe. “But not unrecoverable.”

 

“No, it was an eye opener.” Sable Manfredi sighed. “This isn’t a game for baseball bats and cement shoes anymore. The stakes are higher. I can’t expect to revive the Manfredi name with just hard men and powerful guns.”

 

“So what do we do? Make new supervillains like Tombstone did?” Jenkins asked. She had been privy to much of what Hammerhead had his fingers in. She would never have shared an ounce of this information with anyone other than Sable. They had known each other for a long long time. They had fallen out of touch when Hammerhead had left Manfredi’s employ to work for Tombstone. They hadn’t fallen out of friendship.

 

“Nothing so rash. We just have to call in favors. My father had had a family friend outfit him to fight like these supercriminals when he got out of prison.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Tri-corp was built on Manfredi money. We want to own this city, we start building with what we have. Get me a meeting with Dr Smythe.” Sable put down her hairbrush and yawned. “And don’t make it too early tomorrow.”

 

************

 

Betty hadn’t found sleep even after her imaginative encounters with Spider-man. She rolled off the bed. Ned still wasn’t back and it had been hours. Her overnight bag was in the corner. She spent enough time here. She had wanted to ask Ned about taking over one of the drawers in his dresser for when she had to go to work after she spent the night. It didn’t seem like he’d ever be around for her to ask. She slumped her shoulders. Well, she did need to be prepared for work. She couldn’t just wear the same blue blouse as yesterday. 

 

She kicked her bag across the blue carpet, unwilling to as little as lean over to pick it up. Part of her felt naughty. Alone and naked in an apartment not her own. She arrived at the dresser.  Which drawer could she take. She sighed, the bottom was the easiest choice. She slipped down onto her knees and pulled out the drawer.

 

There were several pairs of jeans and a half dozen unmated socks. She dug in, piling them on the right side of the drawer. She was folding the third pair of jeans when the glint hit her eye. Curious she picked up the object. She felt a  flash of cold inside her throat.

 

It was about five inches long. It was a double edged knife on a bright orange pumpkin handle. Snap! Betty screamed, jumping back and dropping the winged blade onto the ground. It had opened. Now it stood vibrating out of the ground. Betty watched her eyes reflected in the steel. Maybe she should spend the night at home?

 

**************

  
  


Next Law 310: Sentencing

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


[1] Overlord Laharl Disgaea. I don’t know why I chose his maniacal laugh. I’ve been on a huge One Piece kick these last few months, I suppose we’re lucky I didn’t go with “Zehahahahaha!”


	3. Law 310 - Sentencing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the likes of The Hobgoblin preventing Sable Manfredi from attaining her birthright. She invests in a supervillain. Because this has worked so well for Green Goblin and Tombstone...

Law 310 Sentencing

 

"Tomorrow, everything changes!"

 

"What do you mean, Lee?" Robbie Robertson looked up from the copy Foswell had rattled off. Seems a pulitzer did let some reporters get lazy.

 

"I'm going to be putting together the final threads of our Spider-man Goblin piece," Ned beamed.

 

"Have you confirmed the identity of Spider-man or The Hobgoblin?" Robbie asked with a tired lilt. The truth was that without pictures even a proper expose could prove unsellable.

 

"Not as such, no," Ned waffled, "But I can feel how close I'm getting. I can taste it."

 

Betty stopped at that. She looked at her boyfriend with a mix of pride, concern and suspicion. He was so invested in this case and she couldn't see it adding up at all like he seemed to be claiming.

 

"A reporter chasing down feelings isn't endowing me with a lot of confidence, Ned," Robbie tutted, "What are you looking into?"

 

"I've got another informant that--"

 

"I'm not going to have another set of lawyers breathing down our necks. One Emily Osborn is enough thank you," Robbie caught the glint in his reporter's eye.

 

"No it isn't that. This guy reached--"

 

"Ms Brant!" The Daily Bugle stood stalwart in midtown Manhattan. The newspapermen and women of the second strongest newspaper in the Big Apple would shake their heads in disbelief to discover their owner and editor's hollering didn't even shake the building.

 

Betty rushed along away from Robbie and Ned's powwow. She had been on task and for the first time since she had been employed had it gotten away from her. Luckily, Jolly Jonah had been lightning rodded into another unfortunate soul. She almost made it to the coffee machine before he redirected towards her.

 

"--and Ms Brant!" Betty rotated calmly toward the screaming conniption and began smiling like she hadn't been distracted, "Where are you? I've been waiting 17.9 minutes for a 35 second cup of coffee!"

 

"It's been two minutes and it takes three minutes to brew it the way you'll drink decaf," Betty turned away from him with a smile. Jameson stuttered for a moment. Not once had he jumped the gun on Betty getting him his coffee. The crisis with John must be dulling his edge.

 

"I'll be in my office," He didn't bellow and the door didn't slam. The newspaper was quiet for a full minute.

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

"It's pretty obvious, Lizzie," Mark rested his elbows on his knees, "Dad's given up on me."

 

"That's not it, big brother," Liz shook her head, "He just needs time."

 

"I've got plenty he's welcome to. Whatever, tell me about something happier," He rolled back his shoulders.

 

"Petey and I--"

 

"No." Mark spat, "How's MJ?"   

 

"She's a model now," Liz was angry at the interruption, "They've got posters and billboards selling some perfume." Liz had started wearing Revanna No. 5 as a countermeasure. Peter liked it and he wouldn't be thinking of MJ when he smelled it. Plus it smelled really nice. Luckily, her dad didn't mind spoiling her a little.

 

"And I got there first," Mark chest thumped.

 

"First? Really?"

 

"I mean before she was famous," Mark admitted with red cheeks.

 

"Yeah, that makes more sense," Liz sniped.

 

"You saying I--"

 

"Alright, Miss Allen, time's up." Two guards approached the vault cells. Mark sneered and punched the wall in frustration.

 

"Inmate will refrain from hitting the walls or suppressing foam will be used to neutralize Allen comma Mark."

 

"I know," He sighed, "Good-bye Lizzie. Happy fourth of July."

 

"Happy Third of July," She winked back. They didn't try to hug this time. There was only one shift where they'd get away with that and it wasn't these two guards. Liz did a waggling finger wave as she walked out down past the specialized cells of The Vault.

 

"Oh, that mamacita has a tight little booty," The Scorpion commented after the guards left, "Is it true she's a slut for gringo dick, Marky?"

 

"Shut your mouth, Gargan!" Mark snarled quietly. Molten Man stepped to the line in his cell.

 

"Hey, it's not my fault sweet tits puts the spic in spicy," Gargan shrugged.

 

"You piece of shit! Shut your Goddamned mouth before I--"

 

"Voices will be lowered or suppressing foam will be released to neutralize Allen comma Mark."

 

"I bet it won't take much to get that boreeka fired up," Gargan gave a low whistle. Mark squared his shoulders and huffed out impotently.

 

"Step back, Gargan," Rhino sighed from his neighboring cell, "Lizzie's a sweet girl."

 

"And you don't get to talk shit about her!" Mark growled across the corridor unable to hold off.

 

"Voices will lowered or suppressing foam will be released to neutralized Allen comma Mark."

 

"Ain't shit, Marky, little Latina's giving it up to her boy Petey," Gargan enjoyed the twitch Mark snapped at the name Petey, "But little

boys are a waste on fine puta like that. Chica needs a proper go and I'll be sure to make it sting."

 

"You son of a bitch!" Mark roared slamming both fists into the hard plastic barrier. There was harsh metal snap. The blast from the hoses slammed Mark into the ground. A symphony of bubbles and popping followed the quick roar. Mac Gargan fell back onto his bed laughing uproariously as he held his belly.

 

"Voices will be lowered or neutralizing gas will be released to sedate Gargan comma MacDonald."

 

Mac slapped both hands over his mouth and his laugh could only escape out the violent shaking of his shoulders. "I know," He struggled to mutter as the tears swam in his eyes.

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

"He's everywhere!" The thug panicked spinning and firing blindly into the dust and smoke. He collapsed bonelessly.

 

"Keep your wits cowards," The Wild Pack soldier shook the blood off the butt of his gun.

 

"Oh, don't be so hard on the little ones, there isn't half a wit between the six of them," The cackle followed two spark blasts that took the soldier in the body armor. His body spasmed and he fell to one knee. His assault rifle spinning out across the dusty concrete floor.

 

"You're dead Hobgoblin," The bullets ripped open momentary tunnels in the smoke but there was no goblin to be found.

 

"Keep down you idiots!"

 

"Don't shoot at your buddies!"

 

"Pick up your damned gun, coward!"

 

The wild pack couldn't manage the gangsters they had come to extract. Sable Manfredi had millions in arms in this warehouse and Hobgoblin didn't seem half interested in stealing any of it. The screech of pumpkin bombs was timed moments before the concussion of classical explosives.

 

"No! No! No!" The thug screamed as the silhouette of Hobgoblin parted the smoke and chaos. In his left hand, he was juggling two pumpkins while, in his right hand, pressed down the stem of a third. That pale yellow light sparking up the eyes and crooked grin of the bomb. The submachinegun clicked impotently. It shook worse in the thug's hands.

 

"A little gift for Sable," Hobgoblin tossed the pumpkin bomb like a litterer finished with his coke can, "You'll be sure to tell her I'm thinking of her."

 

The thug's scream lasted so much longer than he figured it had any right to. Webs, latched onto his shoulders, dragged him bodily out of the warehouse and onto the front drive.

 

"My spider-sense is tingling. Did anyone call for a webslinger?"[1] Spider-man asked from the roof of a heavily battered panel van.

 

"Spider-man!" the thug croaked, "Am I glad you're here!"

 

"I can't say I've ever had a mobster welcome me to the crime scene. You sure you know how this works?" Spidey shook his head and webbed the criminal to the ground by the wrists and mouth. His spider-sense rocked him back on his heels. No! He leapt down to the ground. His legs straddled the gangster's hips. He had trouble lifting a Volkswagen. His muscles strained as he grabbed the van and with a mighty shout he managed to lift and lever the van over his head and down on the other side of the thug and himself.

 

Sounds effects like bang and kapow and crack-ka-boom were understatements. It wasn't one explosion but it was a mighty detonation. Debris ripped through the upside down van tearing through doors and windows. Glass was blasted down, Spidey hopped a two-step to avoid some of the dangerous pieces. Dagger-like shards of metal stuck out from the second door. Nearby buildings ejected clouds of dust off of their roofs.

 

"That's my cue. Wish me luck," Spidey received a mumbled good luck from the perp on the ground. He leapt the battered van and rushed into the smoke and dust.

 

"A little late to the dance webhead," Hobgoblin's voice laughed through the smoke.

 

"Fashionably late, I think," Spider-man didn't dive straight for the voice,"Besides, my moves will sweep you off your feet."

 

"But my dance card's all full up," The Hobgoblin sighed, "If I don't get on home, daddy will worry."

 

The air opened up with a dozen falling pumpkins. It was all Spider-man could do to jump and weave through the shelling and over the toppled piles of slagged and damaged firearms. He had it now, the path Hobgoblin was tracking through the chaos.

 

"Don't you worry your pretty grotesque head about it, Hobby," Spider-man called, "I'll make sure you get home safe. Provided your home is a 10 by 8 prison cell."

 

"So sorry, webhead. Perhaps tomorrow? I'm really looking forward to the fireworks," Hobby's laugh was quickly drowned out as his rockets ratcheted up moments before glass shattered, He was flying out the back side of the warehouse. Spider-man raced to catch up before the villain got away, "Just so we don't miss each other, I'll leave you my number."

 

Spider sense tingled from all directions. "Oh, poop."

 

Bombs triggered munitions that set off canisters of fuel. The Hobgoblin was quickly flying out of reach. There were men left in the warehouse. It didn't work once but Spider-man had no other recourse. The spider tracer zipped out through the shattered window on a wad of webbing. Spider-man dived back into the inferno. Minutes later he was dragging two final members of the Wild Pack out on to the street.

 

"Spider-man," Captain Stacy arrived with his men, "Anyone still inside?"

 

"No sir," Spider-man sighed. He looked to see the four other police officers. Three looked uncertain as to whether they needed their guns. Lieutenant DeWolff's mandate was clear. Except Captain Stacy was just chatting and Sergeant Carter was elbowing Officer Gonzales to point at the vigilante. Gonzales pulled out his zipties to pick up the thugs scattered behind the torn up van, "But there is one more bad guy to go after."

 

"Yeah, there's always work to do," Stacy shook his head and turned, "Carter! Stop gawking and get those soldiers booked! Gonzalez is making you look obsolete."

 

"Captain." Work was only a salute away from being properly done. Yet, Carter didn't even make a move until after he gave the retreating Spider-man an appreciative smirk.

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

"I was wondering when you were going to show up!" MJ was dressed in lingerie when she snuck up against Peter to snap in his ear. "You're lucky that Kingsley hasn't been in yet!"

 

"I'm thinking he got here just before I did," Kingsley was the most obvious subject and Spider-man had chased his tracer all the way back to Kingsley's offices. It was a quick jaunt back to his webbed up clothes before he entered the studio legally as Peter Parker.

 

"Mr Parker!" Jason Macendale, head of security, walked with every ounce of authority his title provided, "I have better things to do with my time then deal with disrespectful truants. You're wanted behind your camera ASAP. Miss Watson, your passport."

 

Jason delivered the booklet along with a stapled printout. MJ took them with her best grin. "Thank you, I've never been on a plane before. I'm so excited."

 

"Good for you. I think you're wanted in makeup. Mr Parker! What did I just say to you!" With his final shout Jason left through the stairwell, likely to the next part of his rounds.

 

"Hurry up, webhead," MJ giggled in his ear, "They've got this amazing black bikini for you to shoot me in."

 

"I think Kingsley's the Hobgoblin, but it could be Jason doing his dirty work." Peter shook his head, "Keep your eyes open."

 

"I'm going with Mr Kingsley to Grand Cayman in two days," MJ pushed Peter's shoulder hard, "You wouldn't let that happen if he's some sort of supervillain?"

 

"No, I promise," Peter nodded.

 

"Mary Jane!" Speak of the devil, Roderick Kingsley appeared. The billionaire was dressed in a dark violet suit with a bright white floral boutonniere, "My irreplaceable treasure. You're needed in prep."

 

"Yes, Mr Kingsley," MJ squeezed Peter's shoulder before zipping through the heavy black curtain and into dressing and makeup.

 

"And you need to start calling me Roddy," He called after her. His charm dissolved into infinite impatience when he turned to Peter Parker, "You're not taking pictures yet, Peter?"

 

"No, Roddy, I'm on my way," Peter moved to hurry past his boss. A large hand gripped tightly on his shoulder. It was all Peter could do to ignore the tingles and let himself be grabbed. Kingsley had a powerful grip for such an effete man.

 

"Watch the lip, Parker. There are millions of you out there," There was further tightening on his shoulder. Peter wondered if he could see the Green in a man's eyes. Damn! There was so much he had to follow up. He had hoped to do some sleuthing undercover. But now it looked like he was going to be under a microscope.

 

"Yes sir, Mr Kingsley," He managed to slip the death grip and rush ahead, "Right away, sir."

 

"Sorry, I'm late," Peter announced as he slipped into the studio. Another photographer was there and the lighting guy, but no models.

 

"No need to hurry, kiddo," his colleague said from the director's chair, "Our illustrious Miss Hollister was running late as well. They just got her into prep. Should've seen her. I'd have to get pictures of such a goddess looking like she had just spent the last two hours in a sauna dressed in a gimp mask. The girls back there have their work cut out for them."

 

"Yeah?" Roderick and Jason had been immaculate but if Peter had made the mistake of putting his clothes on over his uniform he'd be smelling like a chimney. In that body armor with that mask who could tell whether a goblin was a girl? No, Lily might be a bit of a diva but a supervillain? Dammit! She was tall enough. Suddenly, the idea of basking in the near naked glory of a supermodel grew unappealing.

 

"Your camera ready, kiddo? Here she comes." Alright, less appealing. Temporarily.

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

“Doctor Warren, I was hoping I could talk to you for a few minutes,” Gwen had put away the last of her gear. Her labcoat lay folded in her cubby locker. Technically, the Midtown sponsored internship ended with the school year, however Dr Warren was happy to have either of his interns continue volunteering as his work continued through the summer. Gwen had yet to miss a day. Peter made his own hours.

 

"Of course, Miss Stacy," Dr Warren looked up from the simulations his computer was calculating, "Miss Whitman, go ahead and pack up we're done for the day."

 

Debra gave an affirmative nod and proceeded to her end of shift inspection. Dr Warren offered Gwen the next stool at the bench. Gwen wasn't entirely comfortable with the short skirts MJ had transposed into her wardrobe. With Harry and Peter, she couldn't stop worrying about her legs or her posture or where their eyes were. With Dr Warren, she didn't think twice. In her mind, he was too old, too professional, too respectable to consider the sexuality of a nearly 17 year old girl. In his mind, he was archiving the absolute perfection of her legs as she settled across from him. Was that flash of pink her underwear? Of course it was, Miles, Gwen hasn't grown into the type of woman this base world desires.

 

"I've seen the files on Eddie and Max," She made sure she sat with perfect posture as she crossed her legs, "I want to help. I want to make them better. Please, let me be a part of this."

 

"Our patients extend further than simply Mr Brock and Mr Dillon," He suggested, "And the work is highly experimental. I was under the impression that you had been attacked by Electro and by Venom. Even though only Eddie's delusions tie him to Venom it may be dangerous to involve you."

 

It was true. Gwen still had nightmares. Black organic thunderclouds, bright lightning and then claustrophobic cold water. Fear didn't matter. Facing your fear is what would define her. Gwen loved science. She believed that the world could and needed to be a better place. She would make it a better place. She had the brains, the tools, the opportunity and the responsibility to help. She didn't have the words to convey that sentiment.

 

"I can face my fears," Gwen declared, "For Eddie, for Max, for John," she could see Harry in her mind, "For a friend: I can do what is needed . I will help them."

 

"You're emotional attachment to the subjects encourages me to withhold access, Miss Stacy," Doctor Warren laced his fingers and reclined, "This is hard science and our emotions can not overcome our reason or our results."

 

"I can be professional. It won't be a problem, I assure you."

 

"I believe you," Gwen swelled up with pride, "But that is only the first worry I have. Mr Brock has shown exemplary manners however Mr Jameson, Mr Dillon and Mr Kasady, especially, are quite obviously dangerous."

 

"I'm not going to let fear stop me," She squared her shoulders and spoke with an even voice. Max Dillon, Electro, she had seen him fall from affable handyman to mad supervillain. He had shocked and kidnapped her. She wanted to see the old Max. The friendly Max. She was afraid.

 

"I am humbled by your courage, Miss Stacy," Doctor Warren smiled wanly, "But that doesn't mean I'm not afraid. You will not be a part of these experiments. That is final."

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

“Using the fundamental designs of my…” Alistair sneered as he spoke, “Shocker suit, and the mechanical aspects of your father’s Silvermane armor, I have begun a composite battlesuit for the lovely Ms Jenkins.”

 

“It’s in my colors at least,” The driver scoffed as she saw the blue and black armor hanging in the display case.

 

“Daddy’s armor failed pretty quickly when Spider-man tore out his servos,” Sable looked at the armored mannequin with trepidation. Osborn, Octopus and Tombstone were out of the picture, yet the Manfredi empire was infertile and dead. It seemed the only way to compete was to produce the costumed supercriminals that Spider-man had become very competent at breaking down. If it wasn’t for the likes of Jack O’Lantern and now The Hobgoblin muscling her out of her birthright she’d have been content to let the psychos take the spotlight while she ran things from the shadows. This must be a bad idea.

 

“Yes, that weakness has been circumvented,” Alistair rolled his wheelchair forward so he could present better and look his clients in the eye. Much better than his father’s method of ogling Janice and Sable from behind, “The spider-slayer’s armor proved resilient to all but the most contained explosions. I’ve managed to apply it in a three layer pattern over the torso and limbs. The joints are less defended by bulk armor but the undersuit is of carbon fibers and bullet resistant plastics. Only the Rhino has better defenses. Theoretically, I could surpass that armor but that would be too heavy for the magnetic flight modules.”

 

“I’ll be able to fly?” To the room it seemed as if Jenkins was just asking a question. Her voice was soft and unexcited. Sable’s ears noted the schoolgirl giddiness.

 

“Not with the precision of Vulture but very near. Much better than a helicopter. Also the top speed will be near the speed of sound,” Alistair looked to his father. The son rolled his eyes, he turned his chair and began pointing to the armor, “The weaponry and manoeuvrability are all controlled by intuitive muscle movements in the shoulders, ankles and fingers. The arsenal is quite extensive.”

 

“And it’s sized for Janice?”

 

“There’ll be final adjustments when she is suited up,” Spencer dripped lecherous slime.

 

“You’ll be able to wear clothes underneath the armor. A tank top and running shorts at least,” Alistair reassured the woman, “We can finish calibrations as soon as you get suited up. We’ll give you some privacy.”

 

Alistair earned a tired eye roll from his father as they left the immediate room. The father and son scientists stopped short behind the door.

 

“This is going to have Tri-Corp all over it. Dr Twaki is not going to approve.”

 

“Let the washed up clerk pitch of fit if he needs to,” Spencer replied with the impolitic dismissal only Alistair ever bore witness to.

 

"And Michael?" Alistair knew the answer. The third head of Tri-Corp was most often a silent partner. Michael let the smythes and Dr Twaki follow whichever line of research they chose, except he had revealed obvious interest when Tri-Corp had reached out to Dr Miles Warren over the Scorpion debacle.

 

"Miss Sable is quite the looker," Spencer bypassed the office politics.

 

"Yes, quite attractive," Alistair agreed with mild impatience.

 

"She also seemed quite impressed with you, my boy," Spencer nodded his head, "It would do you some good to take an evening away from your work. I can hardly imagine a better means to distract oneself."

 

Alistair slumped in his wheelchair. He had just built a fighter jet one could wear as a shirt and his father only noticed the shapely figures they were selling to. Alistair wouldn't be so crass as to ask Sable out. It would be terribly unprofessional at best.

 

"We're ready for you," Sable Manfredi opened the door. She spoke to Alistair. Spencer took hold of his son's wheelchair as the crime boss stepped back into the room.

 

"Oh, she's ready all right," Spencer leched, "Fit to be plucked."

 

Alistair managed to shake the red out of his cheeks by the time he had been rolled out to the dais. Jenkins sat in the suit's underarmor. Manfredi watched from several paces away. Spencer walked over to join Sable and Alistair rolled up to Janice.

 

"How does it fit?"

 

"Like a loose t-shirt," She moved showing the give in the suit.

 

"That'll have to be corrected before we move to the shell," He beckoned for her to come closer and she did. Her underarmor was just a thin cat suit with panels at the shoulder, waist, ankles and gloves. Jenkins knelt and turned for Alistair to send commands at each panel. Eventually there was a tight hiss. The underarmor closed tightly on her body.

 

"That's tighter than Black Cat's slut suit," Sable appraised. The armor had closed up until it was snug around Jenkins' body.

 

"Simple commands to either shoulder will loosen it enough to take off when you want to. Now for the shell."

 

Suiting up was much quicker than Sable had expected. The armor opened from the back and Jenkins stepped into it. It automatically closed when she pulled the helmet down over her face.

 

"How do I look?" Her voice came out with a computerized rasp.

 

"Powerful," Spencer Smythe was always the salesman.

 

"In a way," Sable grinned, "But what do we call you?"

 

"The armor is called the Mach 1," Alistair proudly stated.

 

"No, that won't do," Sable tutted, "Supervillains are named for animals. That armor makes you look like an insect."

 

"Then it's obvious," Spencer clasped his hands behind his labcoat, "She's the Ladybug."

 

"God no!" Jenkins was revolted.

 

"If you must," Alistair was still a bit miffed that they weren't calling it the Mach 1, "Beetle is a good name."

 

"Yes, Beetle," Sable tapped her smiling lip, "I couldn't have thought of better myself.

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

"I have to say these certainly don't taste heartsmart!" Anna laughed having her third rum butter cookie.

 

"So long as you don't say things like that when Peter's around," May swatted her friend. The two had come together on the holiday and had chosen a few guilty pleasure baked goods and glasses of wine over the crowds and fireworks out in the city, "But the truth is they're not bad for your heart at all. It's your liver we need to worry about."

 

"Well in that case we'll take everything in moderation," Anna reached for a fourth.

 

"As Ben used to say, it's very important to take moderation in moderation," May remembered fondly, she took her second cookie.

 

"Wise man, your Ben," Anna grinned as she bit through her cookie, "Peter's acting more like him everyday."

 

"You have no idea," May grinned, "You should see all the pretty girls after Peter. It reminds me of meeting Ben at ESU."

 

"Except Ben needed a pretty girl to step on his foot and smile in his face for him to notice her," Anna laughed, "And if I recall only you had the guts to do it."

 

"Oh, I don't know about that," May sipped her wine.

 

"I know very well," Anna declared.

 

May had another retort but the doorbell rang. May snapped through the last of her cookie and wiped her hands off on her skirt. "I hope Peter remembered all the people he had made plans with tonight."

 

"Good evening, May," May was surprised to see Dr Bromwell at the door. The man had on a charming smile and carried a bottle of white wine with a patriotic bow tied around its neck.

 

"Come in, Nicholas," May hurried him in behind her. If he hadn't been holding the wine May might have worried, he was rather well dressed for a social call. Some men are just good dressers, "This is my good friend Anna watson. Anna meet Dr Bromwell."

 

"Oh, the handsome doctor," Anna made May blush, "Come join us, you have to try May's incredible cookie."

 

"Oh stop it, you incorrigible fiend," May laughed but happily led Nicholas to join them on the sofa.

 

"These are the cookies?" Nicholas was waved in to reach for one. He bit in, "These are something strong!"

 

"Oh, a glass for your wine!" May nearly rocketed up to her feet but Anna was already en route to the kitchen.

 

"I'll get it, May," She tutted, "Sit down with the doctor."

 

"What brings you here tonight, Nicholas?" May sipped her wine again.

 

"The last house call I made, you talked about how you were thinking about having a quiet night in with a friend or two. I wasn't certain it was an invitation but it was certainly worth finding out," He smiled and reached for a second cookie.

 

"Oh, you don't need an invitation to come and visit," May waved off the idea, "We're always happy to have you over."

 

"Here you are, Nicholas," Anna returned with the wineglass, "What kind of treat did you bring us tonight?"

 

"It's a riesling," He accepted a corkscrew from Anna, "German, from 2002. My son recommends it."

 

"Your good taste runs in the family," Anna declared as she watched Nicholas and May take their drinks. Anna hurried through the last sips of her glass.

 

"Thank you Anna," Nicholas smiled warmly, "It's nice of you to say."

 

"Oh, I just have an eye for these things," She put her empty glass on the table, "It was lovely to have me over, but I think I might call it a night."

 

"Oh, you're not feeling ill, are you?" May worried.

 

"I'd be happy to have a look," Dr Bromwell offered.

 

"No, I'm feeling very well actually. Just overworked myself helping Mary Jane get ready for her trip. My brother isn't the most accommodating of men. I could use the night off," Anna looked to Nicholas, "Don't let this one keep you up to all hours."

 

"Oh, go home, you pest," May laughed and saw her friend to the door and gave her a warm hug, "Have a good night, Anna."

 

"With friends like these," May joked about Anna as she returned to the sofa.

 

"Life is never dull," Nicholas beamed. They clinked their glasses and took another sip.

 

"Life has been interesting," May reminisced. A double edged sword that curse: may you live in interesting times. It hadn't been the worst. She took a sip looking at the man who had become her first new friend in a long time. May supposed she should consider Mary Jane but that wasn't quite the same.  

 

"You are an incredible baker," Nicholas grinned after he had chewed through his third cookie, "I haven't had a treat like this in a long time."

 

"You're very welcome. I was considering some more interesting recipes for my third book. This was always one of Richard's favorites. I remember dropping the care package off at his first day in his master's program."

 

"Richard was Peter's father?" Nicholas caught the melancholy in May but could see the warmth left behind.

 

"Yes, what a complete rascal he was," May giggled, "I had a lot of respect for Mary. That woman had that hungry wolf turned into a lovesick puppy in less than a week."

 

"They sound like terrific people," Bromwell reached out to pat May's knee. His hand lingered and squeezed.

 

"If only they could see Peter as he is today," May looked down at her wineglass, suspicious at how it had grown so quickly empty, "Richard would be incredibly proud of him. So excited by his internship at ESU and bragging about his jobs at The Bugle and Kingsley Inc. And Mary, I can only imagine what she would think about her little heartbreaker."

 

"She called him that as a child, didn't she?"

 

"It was a running joke between Jamie and me, that Mary had never even heard of Peter Parker," May rested her left hand on Nicholas's fingers and squeezed absently, "I keep thinking, I have lived a lot of life but it only recently feels like I've lived a long life."

 

"My wife had used to say: 'Loss is knowing love.' "

 

"Then I must have loved more than my fair share," May smiled at Nicholas. That warmth he had seen was surfacing. She was an infinitely strong woman and he found it wonderful. In his adolescence, he would have been timid and impatient. In his twenties, he would have been confident and a little assumptive. Tonight, he was sweet, respectful and self-assured.

 

May's blue eyes popped wide. Familiar and unfamiliar memories  rolled tumultuous in her mind. She was certain she had never felt as uncertain as she did since her teenage years. She tilted in to meet Nicholas. They kissed. Both felt pride and joy. There was a surprised feeling in both of them. Nicholas had come here to share time with his favorite patient turned newest friend. May had invited a friend into her home. They receded from each other's lips.

 

"I didn't know quite how much I had needed that," Nicholas smiled warmly.

 

"It is a wonderful feeling being desired again," May agreed, "Ben had never left me feeling without. You never quite know what you have until it's gone."

 

"It was wonderful," Nicholas realized he was still holding his empty glass. He set it on the coffee table, "I don't know quite what you or I want, but I'm happy to have your company and just talk tonight."

 

"Don't be silly, Nicholas," May reclaimed his right hand by his fingers, "I'm no blushing teenager. We'll go up to the bedroom and make each other happy. We can think about tomorrow, tomorrow. I know that we are strong enough to decide whatever this means after the act."

 

May stood up and only had to tug Nicholas's fingers slightly to invite him to follow.She was smiling, like she hadn't in a long time. She looked at the portrait on the mantle. Ben and Peter sharing in her happiness. She knew Ben and she knew love. She had no hesitations on her path to her bedroom.

 

Nicholas followed May into the bedroom. The bed was made with warm sheets and blankets. The walls held treasured pictures. Her dresser was covered in clutter. It was a home and Nicholas felt the welcome May offered.

 

"Oh," May softly giggled feeling Nicholas's hands wrap around her belly and hips. He kissed her lightly on the top of the ear and the nape of her neck. She rubbed the backs of his hands and let herself be pulled against his chest. He traced her body upward, reaching into her hair and pulling loose her bun. Her hair tumbled down to the tops of her shoulders. He swept his fingers like a comb keeping her ear free. May softly giggled again.

 

There was no hint of haste. Nicholas slipped the burgundy sweater off of May's shoulders. He kept her close to him as he picked open each button of her yellow shirt. She rolled her shoulders and let it slip onto the floor. She wore a simple white bra that Nicholas eased down each shoulder before unfastening in the back. This time her arms rolled forward and added to the mess at her toes. His hands looped around her belly and waist once again. She guided them up to her breasts as he nibbled and kissed along the side of her tilted neck.  
  
"That feels lovely," She sighed. Nicholas was tall and he had large hands. May felt very warm wrapped up and held against him. She soon guided him down to the waistband of her skirt. He followed along her hips to find the fastener in the rear. The cloth fluttered down in a halo around her bare feet. She had stepped out of her socks the moment he had pulled her sweater off of her shoulder. She squirmed affectionately against him as he settled his hands on her hips and slid her underwear down to the floor.   
  
"You are beautiful," Nicholas admired as she turned around to face him. She was naked and her eyes were lidded and beginning to smolder. She felt as beautiful as he found her.   
  
Her hands shot straight for Nicholas's belt buckle. He wasn't given the slow intimate treatment she had enjoyed. May left the belt in its loops as she unbuttoned his fly. She was unzipping his trousers as she pulled them down to his feet. She left them in a pool around his ankles, fallen on top of her own discarded garments. She expected him to disrobe his socks as she reached for his boxers and freed him.  
  
"Such a handsome, man," May grinned eye to one-eyed monster. She took him stiffly in her hand as she rose up onto her feet. Slowly stroking him in one hand she began picking open shirt buttons from the bottom. He aided her by starting at the top. He became naked in less time than it had taken to get May out of her skirt.   
  
They kissed once again. May kept her slow pull of him as she rose up onto her toes and held him by the back of his neck. He pulled her tight to his chest. They shared passion without adolescent vigor. May grinned madly as she slipped back onto her heels and led Nicholas, walking backwards, to her bed.  
  
There wasn't anything to say. May slipped up onto her bed and inched back towards the headboard. Nicholas climbed up on his knees, crawling over her as they settled on top of the comforter. Nicholas bent low to kiss her strongly as she settled herself on her pillows. Her hair became a silver halo and Nicholas saw her for an angel.  
  
May moaned as she dragged her left leg from between his knees and spread open until she could reach beyond and lay her ankles on his calves. He penetrated her. A slow thrust that only broke their kiss for a moment. He held her with a hand on either side of her ribcage. She snaked her arms around the back of his neck.  
  
May felt lucky. Nicholas cared for and desired her. She knew what she liked. Every muscle from her knees to her shoulders drew him in and rolled to let him out. They kissed and nuzzled together. She breathed softly in his ear as they held each other together, cheek to cheek. No hurry, no delays. They made love with the certainty of experience. For May it had been nearly fifteen months, for Nicholas quite a bit longer. They were both hungry for each other and thankful as well.  
  
The early summer air was humid. Their bodies grew slick in shiny sweat. May recognized the tightness of Nicholas's throat. She could feel the slight acceleration and deceleration of his hips. It wasn't her time yet. Making him wait for her would be foolish and disrespectful of what they were sharing.  
  
"Thank you, Nicholas," She whispered in his ear and sped up as he slowed down once more, "It's time, make me feel beautiful."  
  
"May," He stretched out fully, his taller body unable to keep the intimate closeness they had created throughout the session. He kissed the crown of her head as his breathing grew huffier. May reached around his chest and held him as tightly inside her as she could muster. He finished and she kissed him at his throat.  
  
"How do you feel?" May asked as Nicholas steadied.  
  
"I feel wonderful," He slipped back out of her and kissed his way down her forehead and along her cheek. They shared a warm kiss at her lips for just a moment. She slipped her fingers over his head as he continued further down. His tongue tickled her throat and she giggled softly. He was coming to love that affection. He kissed over her collar and down through the valley of her breasts.  
  
"Mmm, thank you," May moaned as she felt his kisses slip lightly over her tummy. He kissed through her light hair and lowered his lips between her wide spread legs. He hesitated not at all, exploring her sex with expert precision. She was already primed and ready but he didn't hurry to bring her off. May's hand and hips guided him to where felt best. She grabbed herself lightly on the throat. Her body was flushed red and her muscles grew tight from her toes to her jaw. She missed a few breaths. She felt marvelous.  
  
Nicholas returned, kissing back the path he had traced down to her sex. May eagerly shared a sex to celebrate their completion. Slowly, they conformed so that she was bundled up and cuddled against his. He held her tightly but softly.  
  
"Excuse me," Nicholas blushed a little as he yawned. May pushed his shoulder and rolled over to face him.  
  
"I'd love for you to stay, if you like Nicholas," May snuggled in and laid her cheek on his pectoral. "I'm up a little bit later than I like to be but it was worth it. I haven't shared a night in such a long time but it isn't that time yet. We had this freedom tonight because I let Peter stay out until midnight with Elizabeth. However, I'm not sure he's ready to have you over for breakfast."  
  
"I completely understand," He brushed away the hair from her face, "But I will stay here a few more minutes before I call a cab."  
  
"Yes, I wouldn't want you driving after those cookies," May agreed and they closed up to each other just a little bit tighter.

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

The whole date. He was here for the whole day! Liz was beside herself, giddily laughing at any perceived joke. Her cheeks hurt so much for smiling. And the date had been terrific. It was simple, dinner, a movie and walking hand in hand down through the late warm New York evening. He had been on time!

 

Normally, she was waiting at the restaurant for 20, 30, even 40 minutes before he, if he would, show up. Peter had arrived at her apartment and had to undergo awkward conversation with her father while she hurried through getting dressed and made up. She had snatched Peter by the arm and burbled some inconsistent series of phrases at her dad before dragging her Petey into the night.

 

There was one perfect way to end this date. Liz dragged Peter to her father's hotel. His eyes went wide. "I--I can't afford a hotel room."

 

"Don't be silly," She laughed, "If I was going to bang my boyfriend in a hotel room it wouldn't be one where this happens."

 

"Hi, Lizzie, uh, miss Allan, going to the roof to watch the fireworks?" A bellhop greeted her.

 

"We're going to get to watch the fireworks from the rooftop?" Peter asked with an excited grin. This was the second 4th of July that he had his powers. Last year, he had watched the show hanging upside down from his experimental webshooters. It was how he learned the webbing dissolved after an hour.

 

"Absolutely," Liz twisted herself in a tight hug around Peter's right arm.She looked to the bellhop, "Can you get the kitchen to send up some sodas and popcorn?"

 

"Absolutely, have fun you two," He grinned, professionally: clearly he would have rather been up on the roof watching the show then working. It didn't break his stride. He waved as he headed off on his errand and they went to the elevators.

 

The hotel had a high speed elevator for the top floors. It seemed so slow to Peter "Spider-man" Parker. Taking advantage of his web's elasticity and angular momentum he could have slingshotted the pair of them to the room in moments. He couldn't help it. There was a goblin on his mind, the girl on his arm felt ephemeral. Liz rested her head on his shoulder. She had an inch on him so it couldn't have been the most comfortable position, but her easy grin belied that. He kissed her hair and she looked up.They kissed, without making out.

 

"This has been a perfect day," Liz grinned.

 

"Imagine the night to come," They kissed again as the elevator dinged. Liz was full of energy and Peter was surprised when she took off at a sprint. He chased after her, easily weaving around an untended maid's cart that Liz had bumped with her hip. The girl laughed as Peter caught up and lifted her easily around the waist. The pair spun around before the stairwell that would provide them roof access. Liz's low heeled shoes landed gracefully as he set her down.

 

"Oh wow," Liz breathed, "I so thought you were going to drop me."

 

"Hey, I made an impressive showing during tryouts!" Peter opened the door for Liz.

 

"Yeah, day one, and then you really dropped the ball," She stuck her tongue out at him over a shoulder as he followed her deliberate butt wiggle.

 

"I did many thing poorly, but I have confidence in my tight grip."

 

"Then what do you need me for?" Liz turned around to walk out onto the roof facing backwards at Peter.

 

"Sarcasm practice." He deadpanned.

 

"Yeah," She tossed her hair and turned her back to him, "Like that needs work."

 

"Learning from the best," He sidled up next to her and wrapped his arm around her.

 

The view of the East River, where the fireworks were due to launch from this year, was amazing. The roof wasn't empty, a couple guests had set up lawn chairs and a couple employees were enjoying a smoke break. Liz led Peter to the northeastern corner. This had been the plan all along. There was basket waiting for them. Inside were two blankets, one to sit on and another to huddle together under if the air grew colder or the wind grew stronger.

 

Liz sat down and Peter sat behind her. She slouched down against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. It was only a couple minutes later when the bellboy appeared.

 

"Enjoy your evening, Miss Allan," He laid a tray next to Peter that had cans of coke in a bucket of ice and a steaming butter drenched salt encrusted bowl of popcorn.

 

"Thank you," the tip she gave him brightened up his night incredibly. Liz immediately forgot he existed. She sank back against her Petey.

 

The sun had set. The fireworks were due to start at 10. Other rooftops nearby were beginning to amass people with the same idea as Liz. The two teenagers people watched. Liz pointed out other couples from clearly newlyweds, holding hands tighter than the webbing that brought them together to a platinum blonde in a black dress ignoring a pale man in a wheelchair.

 

"I'm glad we got together with just us," Peter faked an injury to his fingertips as Liz nipped the first of the popcorn from Peter's hand, "Too any of our dates seem to be congregations of the whole crowd."

 

"I don't need anyone else but you, Petey," Liz snuggled in as the first geysers of sparkling light streaked up above the river. the booms came a second afterwards. They watched together for the first few minutes. Blooms of red,blue and white meteors burned up in the sky. Gold blasts that broke into further explosions and into tertiary sparklings. Peter leaned over to reach for the second blanket. Liz turned with him.

 

"That seems like a stupid idea," She looked out past the skyline, "Why are they having fireworks on the Hudson too?"

 

"What? There was nothing sche--" Peter's jaw dropped as the competing display's screeches reached the rooftop. Orange pumpkins glittered and burned out in the sky. The cackling dissipated as the East River's detonations reached their ears. The last pumpkin faded away. It was obvious, it was clear: Hobgoblin.

 

"Liz I have to--"

 

"Oh, no you don't, Petey!" Liz was on her feet almost faster than Peter's spider- agility. "You're not working with The Bugle anymore! you don't have to go!"

 

"Liz, I do, I have to," He edged towards the exit and she rushed off ahead of him, "I might be needed."

 

"Needed for what, Peter?" The full hard use of his name slowed him again. She was between him and the door now. "You're just a kid!"

 

"Liz, I can't. I mean I have to--"

 

"Petey! Tell me why!" Liz threw her back up against the roof access door. It was no way to stop someone with Spider powers. It was enough to stop a man who had been raised by Ben and May Parker. Peter wasn't the kind of man to lay hands on a woman.

 

"Those fireworks, not the those ones," He waved at the East River. Some girl on the next building's roof waved back, "They were from Harry's dad. Back at the Halloween carnival, Norman took advantage of Harry then, nearly broke his son's leg! This kind of thing, it can't be good for Harry. He's been clean, but close to a relapse. I--He's my friend. I have to look out for him."

 

"His dad? Oh my god..." The look on her face was worrying. Liz cared. Peter lied so easily to her, "Harry, can't you call him?"

 

"We, we've had our troubles."

 

"Gwen." The look of understanding and patience melted off her face.

 

"She's with Harry," Peter was always on the defensive when trying to keep his spider-man secret. His guts tightened as he wished Liz was MJ. It was bad enough what he felt about Gwen.  He should have been stronger. He hadn't been. He couldn't just ditch Liz, she meant a whole lot to him now. Not that she hadn't before. She--She was speaking.

 

"Go, Petey," Liz stepped aside, "Call me later. Tell Harry I'm thinking of him."

 

"I will, Liz," He squeezed her in a tight hug around her shoulders. He was pushing her out of the way as much as embracing her, "You are the best."

 

"But how come it feels like I'm coming in second?" But her only answer was the mechanical ca-chick of the door closing.

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

The Daily Bugle printed every day of the year. Independence hosted a skeleton staff after deadline. Jonah had left with his wife Joan. Urich[2] sat at the sports desk waiting on the last baseball games to finish and generally not going home. Betty Brant had her cell phone sitting on top of the filing cabinet she was filling. She hoped that Ned would answer one of the texts she had badgered at him all day. She didn't feel right.  
  
"This is good work, Foswell," Robbie flipped through the printout, "But with Lincoln out of the country, Octopus at Ravencroft and Manfredi back in prison, there isn't going to be much interest in the story."  
  
"I know boss," He grumbled, "I tried going in deeper with my Patch persona but Silver Sable recognized me from Valentine's Day and all of my leads seem dried up."  
  
"That's not it," Robbie shook his head, "These are all criminals tied to Spider-man. Without Parker's photos to prop up this piece it'll just be tucked in on page 12. You're going to need something imminently dangerous to sell this. Have you tried working together with Lee?"  
  
"Tried, but your ace newshound has been after some goal that he's not sharing."  
  
"What about Ravencroft? Anything further there?"  
  
"I know Mr Jameson would want us to rustle up something because of John but everything I found shows that Kafka's on the up and up and that Warren fellow's truly interested in the science of the cure."  
  
"John," Robbie's jaw set, "Poor kid. Well, I guess we're stuck on this until Ned checks in."  
  
"Let me guess, you haven't heard word one from  him in hours?" Foswell was right on the money. Betty snatched up her phone. Even turned it off and back on again but there wasn't any news about her boyfriend. He was almost rabid with this goblin story. She had the pumpkin knife in her handbag to prove it. She looked at her phone again. She was thankful she was angry, because otherwise she would be worried sick.  
  
"Fireworks are starting," The pop pop of the explosives lightly rattled the windows but there was no way to see the east river from here so it was only the noise that was reaching them.  
  
"I guess that's a place for me to call it a night then," Robbie replied to Foswell, "Lady, Gentlemen, you can feel free to call it a night as well."  
  
The explosion sounded like a shriek and it occurred half of a heartbeat after the west windows let in the mass of orange light. Betty ran across the room to stand next to Foswell as they looked out the window. Another boom and shriek, more pumpkin fireworks were polluting the sky.  
  
"Looks like you got some work left to do," Robbie looked to Foswell, "Ms Brant you better--"  
  
But Betty was already on her way. She was moving almost at a sprint. She kicked her heels under her desk and grabbed a pair of tennis shoes from her bottom drawer. She was turning for the elevator before she stopped herself from swearing. She retrieved her phone off of the cabinet and was on her way again.   
  


 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

Spider-man checked his Osberry while he swung towards the pumpkin fireworks. His spider-tracer app showed that both of his tags were circling the show.  
  
"Giant flaming sky pumpkins too subtle for you , Hobby?" Spider-man scoffed as he locked his Osberry into his utility belt. Something nagged him but he pushed it clear of his mind. Focus. Pick your target and take it down.  
  
"Good evening! Welcome! Ladies and Spider-men! I am your host this evening, the Hobgoblin! I must say I really like the ring of that. Can you imagine having a name like Molten Man? Or Kraven? It means coward! And then he turns out to be a huge pussy," Hobgoblin's words came with a swarm of whirling pumpkin knives. Spider-man easily wove through them and landed not far across from Hobgoblin. He balanced on a gargoyle.   
  
"This is it, Hobby," Spider-man shouted, "Tonight it ends! I'm done with letting you tear up this city."  
  
"Oh, Spider-man," Hobgoblin tutted, "The guests haven't all arrived yet and you're already getting things started?"  
  
"Yeah--" Spider-man had to hold off on his retort as the air boomed with another launched firework, "There's no reason to hold off when I know this will feel so good!"   
  
Spider-man dove at Hobgoblin, intent to punch his mask straight off. Hobby spiraled downward and out of the way. The first webs grabbed the glider. Hobgoblin hopped so he was flying backwards. The bolts from his gloves were another easy dodge. The air started shrieking in a familiar way.  
  
"The fireworks? Oh, this is going to hurt..." Spider-man bemoaned as he let Hobgoblin drag him out and around the falling pumpkin swarm. Everyone of the pumpkins glowing orange, yellow and green as they tumbled down to New York exploding into grotesque green clouds.  
  
"Allow me to give you the penny tour, Spider-man," Hobgoblin laughed as he weaved dangerously close to the bombs. Spider-man took a blast to the side, to the back and to the ankles before he let go and followed his spider sense clear of the chaos.   
  
"I've seen enough, Hobby," Spider-man retreated back to a nearby building. Green smoke hung lazily in the air. The stone above him was soot black and many windows were spiderwebbed with damage, "But I know a quiet little place for you. And the rent will be so cheap for 20 years to life."  
  
"Can't say as you've got a future in real estate, Spider-man," Hobby laughed as three more fireworks rocketed up into the air around them, "Perhaps you'd find a better fit in a coffin."  
  
"That is a pathetic attempt at humor." The voice that split the fight was disguised and mechanical. Hobgoblin and Spider-man turned to see the newcomer. The challenger was nearly six feet in height and armored in blue and purple. Dark glowing eyes made the whole armor look like the kind of robot who was determined to wipe out all humanity. Rocket launchers were rising out of either shoulder and they leapt into violence in a heartbeat.  
  
"Crap! Who the hell are you!" Hobgoblin was the target of the barrage and he had to sweep backwards firing electrical pulses and throwing spinning pumpkin blades to intercept the four grenades.   
  
"Thanks for the assist--" Spider-man hesitated to come up with a moniker for the new challenger.   
  
"Beetle," The Beetle answered, "And while Hobgoblin is my prey. You've also been a thorn in the Manfredi empire."  
  
"This can't be good," Spider-man leapt and weblined away. Beetle had miniguns attached to her wrists. The crackle of spreading fireworks made the whole mess even messier.   
  
"So you're Sable's answer tonight," Hobgoblin looped back into the battle, skating along the edge of the falling pumpkin clouds, "I have to say her penny ante thugs and dime store mercenaries weren't really worth the effort. How much am I going to get for you?"  
  
"You will be destroyed," Beetle didn't join in the word game. She zipped back and while several detonations threatened to scuff up her body armor it didn't stop her from reorienting her weapons at the Hobgoblin.  
  
"She's not the best at the whole banter thing," Spider-man lamented. It was taking every mote of spider agility to cross the battlefield, but he managed it in time to tackle Hobgoblin off of his glider, "I'm the better sparring partner."  
  
"Go home Spider-man and I'll finish this." Beetle declared as her rockets detonated mid flight and sent Spider-man hard into a nearby wall. The goblin glider spun out wildly into the chaos of the pumpkin rain. Hobgoblin began a nosedive plummet.  
  
"Don't thing I don't appreciate the help, Ladybug," Spider-man didn't get to finish his quips due to the hail of gunfire aimed at his 1 second ago self. Beetle didn't fire for long though, she twisted up and out of the smog. Looking for the splat that Hobgoblin was due to make. She didn't see the pumpkin bomb slam that was thrown hard against her back. She couldn't stop being blasted across the shrieking chaos but she did manage toright herself before landing on the skyscraper wall.  
  
"Clever, remote controlled glider then?" Beetle observed.  
  
"You didn't know?" Spider-man scoffed, "Those things were all the rage back in March. Now it seems there's a copycat everywhere."  
  
"I may not be the trendsetter, webhead," Hobgoblin was juggling three pumpkin bombs. The last firework fury had settled down, "But I know a killer style when I see it."  
  
"Just changing the colors isn't quite enough, Hobby," Spider-man was shooting web bullets trying to draw Hobgoblin closer to any of the surrounding buildings. It would be much easier to land a hit that way, "When fashions are out, they're out. But don't worry, I'll send you to prison so long, that  your clothes'll be back in style."  
  
"You bicker worse than teenage girls," Beetle interrupted the banter by jetting out as fast as she could at Hobgoblin. Her miniguns tore up the wings of the glider while her shoulder rockets sent the rider flying back against the nearby tower. The window shattered open behind Hobgoblin and he ricocheted off the floor into the ceiling lights of the empty office.  
  
"Now, to finish things," The shoulders opened, guns were mounted on wrists, her right knee hooked up revealing another cannon and all weapons pointed through the smashed window. The crippled glider sparked like a psychotic pinwheel behind Beetle.  
  
"I don't think so, psycho!" Spider-man managed to cross the street and slam into Beetle's shoulder with the heels of both feet. She flipped and lost her aim. Spider-man latched onto the intact window next to the hole, "I finally get why Shocker was so keen on squashing the bug."  
  
"Not smart, Spider-man, not smart at all," Beetle righted herself and spread her arsenal over the Hobgoblin and Spider-man.  
  
"I couldn't agree more," Hobby cackled, "This is how you hit a woman!"  
  
The tingles were strong enough to send Spider-man scurrying as fast as he had ever fled. Hobgoblin had two big pumpkins, the kind that Green Goblin had brought with him to the fundraiser last October. The whole side of the building flexed as every window for twenty storeys cracked and broke. The air erupted in green grinning fog. Coughing and sputtering towers ripped upward through the haze. More fireworks flanking the vertical dodge of Beetle. She cleared the chaos just as the glowing streaks of fireworks and more pumpkin bombs began falling down towards her.   
  
"You're better than I thought," Beetle growled staring Hobgoblin in the face. The glider under his feet undamaged. The bladed tongue reaching from it's draconic mouth.  
  
"I have no doubt of that."

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

New Yorkers, a quarter fled from the battle. A quarter gathered around to watch. Half just went about their lives like they had seen it all before. The end result, as Betty saw it, was an impermeable membrane like settling concrete that she needed to swim through to reach her goal.  
  
"Approaching the midtown battlefield," She spoke into the voice recorder on her phone, "The sky above is cluttered with green smoke and white flashes. Spider-man is fighting Hobgoblin and an unknown assailant."  
  
Betty was rushed by and the blow to the shoulder didn't knock her to her ass because a man on her right held her up. She brushed off and started hugging the wall. The building she was passing had a planted garden at it's edge and she could traverse the garden at the cost of her already beat up sneakers.  
  
"The brawl began with the Hobgoblin's firework calling card. Emergency responders are only now arriving to clear away the street. Threats of falling glass and debris are slowly convincing the thrill seekers to depart."  
  
Betty hopped of the short concrete wall that surround the garden she had tramped through. The air was shrieking louder than she could imagine. The whole sky disappeared in green smoke.  
  
"Vantage from the street is proving impossible. I am cutting through a small side street to see if I can find a better point of view," She wasn't the only one thinking along those lines. Two groups of young people fled madly just as she turned into the street. About twenty feet overhead a slightly sooty Hobgoblin was steadying himself on his glider.  
  
"The Hobgoblin appears to have exited the fight in the confusion," Her voice brought the attention of the man in the brown mask, "Whether he will use this opportunity to flee or regroup remains to be seen."  
  
"Looks like the presses have arrived already," He cackled, "Keep your eyes open beautiful and I'll give you an even better souvenir than that knife you stole."  
  
The villain cackled and started a near vertical ascent into the firestorm. Betty looked down at herself and saw the face of the pumpkin knife sticking out of her pocket. She couldn't calm her heart. She raised her phone to her lips once again. she had to breathe to steady herself, "The Hobgoblin has appeared to recognize me. Please, Ned, let me be wrong about this."  
  


**  **  **  **  **  **

 

"I've decided to boycott fireworks for the rest of my life. If nothing else all that carbon dioxide is bad for global warming," Spider-man scrambled out of the way of Beetle's homicidal salvo. He only cleared the chaos to find himself caught in the brutal rain of pumpkin bombs, "Besides, I can't imagine anywhere ever overcoming this display."  
  
"You're only prolonging your demise, Hobgoblin," Beetle chased shadows through the fog with bursts from her miniguns.  
  
"I see myself as enriching my life," Hobgoblin's cackle forced Beetle to turn rapidly around. The Hobgoblin had somehow managed to dive and loop underneath her. She deflected several blades as she swam through green shrieking firespouts. Hobgoblin faded into little more than a shadow. Beetle lifted her knee and started blasting the cannon. Each projectile bristling with spikes inches after they escaped the barrel.  
  
"Leave a little for everyone," Spider-man called out as he leapt over the top of the last of the falling firework pumpkins. There was a heavy metal scrape as two spiked balls collided with Hobgoblin's glider. Hobby broke the upper layer of green in order to find himself face to fist with Spider-man.  
  
"Haven't you ever hear of ladies first, hero?" Hobby complained as he weaved out of the way of Spider-man's second blow. Spider-man leapt back and started falling into the cloud in order to avoid the electric pulses from Hobby's finger tips.  Hobby charged and the bladed tongue of his glider nearly skewered Spidey. The hero dived below just in time. He hung under the glider, eye to LED of his spider-tracer.  
  
"Multiple gliders," He realized, "A little late to be figuring that out webhead."  
  
Very late. The tingles were mad because of the last of firework was still exploding below him but these came sharply. Spider-man took the cannon fire along the shoulder and was thrown off the glider bottom as the next shot slammed into the glider's underbelly. He lost track of the battle in the smoke. The drop proved fortuitous. Rockets came just after the cannon volley.  
  
The firework was dying out as Spider-man webbed away from its final death throes. Beetle unfolded as the smoke began to disperse. She was aimed up where Hobby had been. The blades coming from the nearby alley turned the arthropods from the sky and towards their attacker. Hobgoblin was laughing madly.  
  
"It's over." Beetle huffed and fired her rockets, two from each shoulder. They crisscrossed contrails in the air and Spider-man saw there was a woman in the street below. Betty! Crap. He leapt in front of Beetle's chest. Hobby was dipping out of the way of the barrage. Three of the rockets flew into walls tossing out fireballs and dust but one was going to pitch a dive into the street. Spider-man had grabbed it with two webs to the tailfins.  
  
"This is between you and me and the goblin. Leave the rest of New York out of it!" the rocket's thrusters actually made the weapon easy to direct once he got the turn out of it he needed. Beetle tried to dart away, but she wasn't quite as fast as the missile. Her own rocket slammed her in the backside and sent her off in a twisted trajectory and into a wall.  
  
"Nice moves, Spidey," Hobgoblin appeared behind his shoulder. He webbed away to regroup and turn his attack on him, but he was focused wholly on Beetle, "You lube her up and I'll finish her off."  
  
The pumpkin blades came from his hands and his glider. Screams of metal came with waves of sparks as the first three blades were deflected off Beetle's armor. Then she was the one screaming. The blade dug into her right elbow and stayed stuck.   
  
"Oh, such a lovely little weakness you've come with," Hobby sneered, "Let me see where else it sticks."  
  
Spider-man had just turned around as the air went thick with Hobgoblin's blades. Beetle grunted and tried to dodge. Still extremely fast but her motions were not as fluid. She was caught in her left shoulder and both knees. The blades at her groin and neck only found armor.  
  
"And now for the grand finale," Hobgoblin flew in to Beetle's back and put both of his index fingers to both of her ears. He was cackling ready to mind blast her.  
  
"Surely you've got time for a couple more songs!" Spider-man had slingshotted himself at Hobgoblin but his aim wasn't perfect due to the damage to his shoulder. He hammered both feet into the wing of the glider and threw Hobby over his head. He flipped, holding both knees during his somersault and fiddling with the glider controls on his wrist. Spider-man used Beetle as his sky hook and was intent on arcing around to land his finishing blow on Hobgoblin.  
  
"Get off, webhead," Beetle grunted through the pain but it was clear she had adjusted to control herself once again. She cocked her knee and severed the web around her waist with the cannon. Spider-man was forced to web to a nearby building. He looked up to see that Hobgoblin had reclaimed his glider. The two villains squared off like it was high noon.  
  
"This is where it ends," Beetle was certain.  
  
"All right, bug bitch," Hobgoblin roared, "I'm putting an end to your menace."  
  
"Hey, that's a word I only hear about me, lately," Spider-man fled a few storeys up as Hobgoblin reached down and aimed the throat of her glider at Beetle. She just rolled up her left shoulder launcher. It was clear the rocket loaded was the last one she carried. The gargoyle mouth cannon spat.  
  
"Child's play," Beetle mocked and fired her weapon. The massive pumpkin caught the last grenade. The shriek was backed by a roar. The flash of white made the cascading green explosions glow like some Lovecraftian nightmare. The rocket had momentum however, and the explosions screeched back towards the Hobgoblin. The mask's grin was burned into Spider-man's retinas as Hobby was enveloped in the holocaust.  
  
"No!" Spider-man twisted to turn on the injured Beetle. Her maneuverability was hampered but still superior. Spidey missed with his haymaker. He tried to grab her with his webs but she managed to intercept the line with the last bullets in her miniguns.   
  
"Out of ammo. I'm bugging out," She managed to declare her retreat like it was a four letter world. There was another shriek in the cloud of green. Spider-man turned to see Hobgoblin hanging desperately to his batter glider as it sparked madly down to the street.  He was falling certainly, but the glider's continual bursts kept it from a plummet. He would land hard by safely.  
  
"So long Spider-man," Beetle flew up before flying away, "Next time we meet, I'll have a full set of rockets just for you."  
  
"No need for the warpaint and feathers, Ladybug. I like you just like you are," Spider-man called out. Beetle ripped the last pumpkin knife out of her knee and hurled it at Spider-man. She didn't have the strength or the agility to use the weapon as well as a goblin so Spider-man caught it easily. By then she had blasted away. His thrown tracer missed it's target. "Should have thought of that earlier. Damn."  
  
Spider-man looked down. The thin plume of smoke rose straight from Hobgoblin's crash landing.  Spidey caught his fall with a last minute web and dropped nearly silently to the ground. The little alleyway was smoking, a shot up glider sparked and seesawed against the pavement. The beaten body of Hobgoblin lay in a cracked and shallow crater just to the left. Beetle had escaped, but she was just some hired gun. Hobgoblin was the prize. Using Osborn's power and weapons, mocking Spider-man and Harry. This was completely unacceptable.  
  
"Alright, Hobby," Spider-man leapt across the alley and landed straddling over the collapsed form of Hobgoblin, "Smile for the camera, Roddy."  
  
Spider-man ripped the mask off and stopped dead. Looking pale and dark eyed was Daily Bugle reporter, Ned Lee.   
  
"Lee? No, I won't be set up again!" Spider-man looked back up into the sky and aimed his wrists.  
  
"Stop, Spider-man," Betty Brant rushed up to the hero. Spider-man was startled to see her. She held a bladed pumpkin in her left hand, "I've been looking into this. It's Ned. I have proof."  
  
"How? You're not a reporter. This isn't your job."  
  
"It became my job when I cared. And I've been learning from the best investigators in the city for years! I know what I was doing, " Betty had to take a deep breath, "He was looking into you and Osborn. But a couple of months back it was clear that he had gotten too close, too curious."  
  
"He tried the green?" No one had the kind of strength and reflexes to fight and fly on a techflight glider without Globulin Green.  
  
"Green?" She asked aiming her phone towards Spider-man.  
  
"The performance enhancer. It's highly addictive," Spider-man looked down at the unconscious man with pity, "It effects the brain as well as the body."  
  
"Oh my God," Betty looked up at Spider-man, "He needs help."  
  
"Dr Kafka, at Ravencroft. She's experienced with this kind of thing," Spider-man looked down one last time. Another friend, would Norman Osborn's legacy continue to haunt him? Did he deserve it for killing him? He looked up to see the incoming police lights.  
  
"Well the boys and girls in blue are here," Spider-man leapt and shot out his webline, "Don't let picklepuss rewrite all the words for your article."  
  
"Don't worry, I can handle Mr Jameson," Betty worried that she couldn't find the tears to cry. She felt so stony. Spider-man was gone into the night already.  
  
"Dammit! He won't keep getting away on my watch!" Betty turned to see a pissed of police Lieutenant reaching for the radio on her shoulder, "All units, Spider-man is heading west. I want our choppers in the air, immediately."  
  
"Gone is gone, LT," a sergeant walked past her, "We'd better take the win we've been given."  
  
"When I want your advice I'll see the shrink," She growled at the sergeant,   
"You want this, win? It's yours. You take care of this. I'm going after Spider-man," The Lieutenant barked out her orders and waved her hands conveying dozens more. The sergeant and his partner made their way to the collapsed Hobgoblin.  
  
"I don't see her point. She will never catch him," Stan Carter shook his head as his old partner tore off on her fool's errand, "What can you tell me about this, miss?"  
  
"Brant," Betty had heard the interest in the sergeant's voice at his guess of her marital status, "Betty Brant, Daily Bugle."  
  
"Right." The sergeant stepped back and turned to his partner who was approaching the beaten villain, "LT's had enough of me as it is. Vince you got the witness; I'll take the perp."

 

**  **  **  **  **  **

 

"You're sure it's OK?" MJ had travelled by Spider-Taxi to the airport. She had her small carryon bag and her bookbag hanging off either shoulder.

 

"It wasn't him, MJ," Peter took her hand, got embarrassed and let it go. MJ cocked her head and smiled, "This is a great opportunity for you."

 

"And don't you think I'll become superfamous and forget the little people, Tiger," She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

 

"But I do think you'll become superfamous, Red" Peter grinned.

 

"Of course you do," MJ flashed her smile, "You're brilliant."

 

"MJ!" Lily Hollister hurried along the sidewalk with her luggage being carried behind her by a servant, "And Peter. I didn't know you two were a couple."

 

"We're friends," MJ announced draping an arm over Peter's shoulders.

 

"Oh, poor boy," Lily laughed, "You excited for your first tropical photoshoot?"

 

"More than I can imagine!" MJ beamed.

 

"Well toss your bags to Jeeves there," she gestured to the steward who was just catching up, "It's time to get going."

 

"See you soon, Tiger," MJ slapped Peter's shoulder as she followed Lily's instructions.

 

"Have a good trip!" He waved. Since he had met her, MJ had never looked as radiant as she did right now. Peter couldn't help but be excited for her.

 

"So, Lily," Mj scooped up the other model's left arm as they walked into the airport, "What are the Cayman Islands like?"

 

"Oh, no no no, MJ. I'm not going to spoil the ending that easily," Lily laughed.

 

** ** ** ** ** **

 

Even without Lily or MJ in the country there was still lots of work to be done at Kingsley Inc.'s studio. Peter arrived at his shift with minutes to spare and dived right into his job. Most sixteen year old boys wouldn't be quite relaxed around these beautiful creatures. At his first shifts he had found them more intimidating than Tombstone. But now he was at ease and enjoying himself.

 

“Mr Parker.” Jason announced the name and expected the photographer to follow him as he crossed the studio and entered the executive office. Peter looked up from his viewfinder. The model held her pose until it became obvious her photographer was going to answer his call away. She slumped and sighed as Peter hurried after the head of security.

 

“I’m surprised, sir,” Peter admitted as he entered. A wave told him to close the door behind him. “I expected you to be travelling with Mr Kingsley to--”

 

“My and Mr Kingsley’s whereabouts are not your concern.” Jason dismissed Peter and placed a tablet on the desk between himself and the photographer. The screen was divided into four, showing four separate incidences of Peter disobeying the evacuation protocols and smuggling his camera out of the studio. “However, it seems your whereabouts are mine.”

 

“I can explain--” Peter began, mentally kicking himself. He had felt he had gotten good at this. There would be no footage of him stripping out of his clothes and into his uniform.

 

“I am aware of your relation to the press.” Jason declared. He pulled an old copy of the bugle from inside his jacket pocket. His cover photo was of the scene the alien symbiote had been stolen from Doctor Connors’ lab. “It seems you have a history of duplicity and selling secrets.”

 

“I didn’t--”

 

“Your services are no longer under contract with Oscorp or Kingsley Inc.,” A knock reverberated the door before it opened and in stepped two gorilla sized security officers. “You will be escorted from the premises and your person will no longer be tolerated on or in the facilities of Oscorp and Kingsley Inc.. Good day, Mr Parker. Your final paycheck and severance have already been mailed to you.”

 

Peter had to suppress his response to the spider-sense as the left hired goon turned him by his elbow. He had a dozen things to shout or say but he stifled them all. How was he going to help out Aunt May now? The model he left behind didn’t even acknowledge him as he was ejected from the building.

 

** ** ** ** ** **

 

“That’s the thing about love, Gwenny.” George Stacy gave a sad smile to his daughter, “If you’re not with the one you want to be, you won’t be happy.”

 

“I don’t want to be like mom,” Gwen whimpered.

 

“Your mother is a lovely woman,” George smiled, “And just looking in your eyes I can see all the good she has brought into my life. I’ll never regret any of the time we had together. Not, even the pain I felt when she had to move on.”

 

“Yeah, it’s just…”

 

“I know,” George sighed, “I know.”

 

The pair sipped from their mugs in quiet. Dunking his donut in the steaming coffee felt ironic to Chameleon. He smiled in his lipless way as he took off his headset. The apartment he had set up was half the city away but the reconnoitering technology he had didn’t care. The right wall was covered in monitors showing video from all around the city. Hard drives full of recorded conversations and highlighted scenes were stacked under a high powered AC unit. The preparation for this kind of work was always long and tedious. Chameleon was a master of his craft. When he decided to move, he would be seamless. Getting used to the taste of stale donuts and cold coffee seemed a small price to pay.

 

** ** ** ** ** **

 

Environmental Science 311 Dehabitation

 

[1] "There's something wrong with what my Malibu Stacy says."

[2] Ben Urich is not appearing in this story. I just needed to populate the Daily Bugle and it made sense to use a name.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has taken considerably longer than I would have liked. I would like to complete Environmental Science before I begin posting it. However, I would also like to post regular updates every couple of months at least.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like this, please give Amy Intended a try.


End file.
